Fairfield, Connecticut
by pdb
Summary: prexf. Mulder and Scully in high school.
1. Woes of a Teenage Misanthrope

Title: Fairfield, Connecticut…

Author: PixieDustBunny (pixiedustbunny@hotmail.com)

Summary: Is anything but fair. (Dana Scully and Mulder meet in high school.)

Key Words: MSR, AU, A

Disclaimer: What disclaimer? I claimed them at the Unclaimed Baggage!!! I only paid one dollar for each character, except Frohike, who was only 79 cents!!

Rating: PG-13

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 

Dana Katherine Scully hates people. And she will proudly admit it to anyone who asks. She hated moving even more. Since she started high school, she had attended five different ones, all over the East and West Coast.

"Damn the Navy," Dana muttered as she unpacked the last of her boxes and set the books carefully on her bookshelf.. Oddly, one of the things she hated most about unpacking was that her books never sat on her shelf the same way from house to house. She was just quirky that way. This last box was by far the largest and heaviest. Dana was an avid reader. It must have stemmed from her constant moving.

Because her father was in the Navy and he was moving fast through the ranks, the Scully family constantly made the sacrifice to follow his job. It was just an unspoken decision among the six Scullys. But this story is not about the Scullys. It is only about a certain redhead.

"Dana, honey," Maggie peeked around the door to Dana's bedroom, "do you want some dinner? We ordered pizza."

"No, I'm not done unpacking yet," Dana grumbled as she leaned into the box to grab another armful of books. Maggie Scully nodded and went back into the kitchen. She would bring her younger daughter pizza and a soda later. Maggie Scully was a proud Navy wife. From all of her experience moving, she quickly learned how each of her children dealt with move. Dana always took it the hardest, sulking in her room for about the first week after completely unpacking her room in the first day. It was all part of the coping process.

Two minutes later, William Scully entered his younger daughter's bedroom and sat on her already-made bed. For a minute, he watched his daughter hang her curtains. "I come bearing provisions," Mr. Scully announced his presence. Dana placed her curtain rod on the floor as she smiled at her father.

"Thanks Ahab," Dana replied as she took a huge bite out of her picture. That was the other thing about Dana: she was a Daddy's girl at heart. Even if she was sulking from a recent move, Maggie knew that her husband could cheer up Dana. 

"You start your new school tomorrow," Ahab broke the silence.

Dana sighed into her pizza.

"I know, Starbuck, but this time will be easier. Don't forget, you're only a sophomore, so the transition will be relatively easy, and I promised that we'd stay here until you and Charlie graduate. Be brave, Starbuck, and you'll make me proud," Ahab encouraged.

Dana looked up from her half-eaten slice and saluted him haphazardly with her free hand. William Scully returned the gesture and they laughed. All was well in the Scully house.

"Missy, get up," Dana urged her older sister. "We're going to be late for school." Melissa Scully turned over. Dana gave up; she hated this fight. She walked into the bathroom that connected her room to Melissa's and grabbed a cup. She filled the cup with ice cold water and marched back to Missy's bed. She tore the pillow from off of Missy's face and poured the water into her face. Missy was up.

Dana walked to her first period class stiff-backed. From her time spent in various schools, Dana could judge a school's character immediately. According to Dana, there were two types of schools: the one that ignored all newcomers and the one that either immediately embraced or ostracized newcomers, depending on the person. This school, Dana decided, was the latter.

As she stepped into the classroom for her first period class after checking the room number for the umpteenth time, she slid into a seat in the second row and pulled out a notebook. She was the first person in class. As she waited for the other students to arrive, she lazily observed the room. It looked the same as every other classroom- prison-like walls covered in construction paper.

Fifteen minutes later, the classroom was full and the teacher had taken attendance. "Class, we have a new student. Her name is Dana Scully and she has come all the way from California. Class, welcome Dana." A mumble of "hello" rippled through the room as Dana half stood and then sat down. Class proceeded as usual. At the end of class, the teacher, whose name, Dana learned, was Mrs. James, told Dana that Amber Daniels would show her to her next class and Amber smiled sweetly at Mrs. James.

As the students filed out of the classroom, Dana waited in the hall for Amber. "Could you show me where locker 1127 is?" Dana asked.

"Hmph!" Amber scoffed and rolled her eyes before walking away. 

"Bitch," Dana muttered as she started looking for her locker. 

As Dana wandered the hallway, a tall guy bumped into her. "Watch it, you're in my way," Dana remarked before walking away.

Finally, she found her locker. As she began fumbling with the combination, a guy broke off from a group of giggling girls and noisily leaned against the locker next to her. "Let the ostracizing begin," Dana mumbled. The boy cleared his throat, and Dana looked up at him, feigning innocence. 

"So how's about you and me hookin' up this weekend?" the boy asked.

Maintaining her calm, sweet façade, Dana answered, "I don't even know your name."

"Jason. So?"

"So what?" Dana asked. She might as well play with their heads a little.

"What about this weekend?" Jason was growing impatient.

Dana sighed regretfully, "I'm busy this weekend."

"Then next weekend."

"Still busy."

"Okay, two weeks from now," the boy pressured.

"I'm trying to be polite," Dana answered.

"You can't be busy forever," Jason insisted.

"Leave her alone, Jason, she said no," a third voice said. Dana looked up to see the boy who had bumped into her earlier. Jason left, upset that his plan was foiled.

"Thanks," Dana mumbled, feeling a little guilty for her rude comment to him earlier.

The guy looked slightly startled, "Oh, I wasn't doing it for you. He was in my way." The boy had an arrogant look on his face. 

Dana, highly irritated with his response, gave up on her locker combination and headed to her next class. The rest of the day proceeded without incident.

At the dinner table that night, the Scully children told their parents about their first day at their new school 

Missy was rambling about her newfound friends, "Skylar is great. Her parents are hippies, and they used to live in a nudist colony! Rayne has the greatest aura…." Dana lost interest in Missy's triumphs. Everywhere Missy went, she found friends the first day, and to others it was as if Missy and her friends had known each other all their lives. Dana wondered if it had anything to do with Missy's wacky spiritual beliefs.

Charlie cut in, "The kids are really nice. I like them better than the ones at my other high schools- "

"You've only been to two," Dana said accusingly. She wished that she were still a freshman. Freshmen were apt to accept newcomers easier than upperclassmen.

"So?" Charlie replied.

"Enough," Maggie Scully said and quickly changed the subject. "Bill called today. He says that he likes St. Anselm. And since Boston is only a few hours away from Connecticut, he may stay a weekend with us." Dana thought that she envied her oldest brother most of all. He was graduated from high school, so the moving no longer affected him.

"Starbuck, how was your day?" William asked his daughter, who had been quiet throughout the entire meal.

"I am in a lot of advanced classes. My history, math, and science classes are all junior classes. My biology teacher is really cool. We are going to do a dissection every month."

"That's wonderful, dear," Maggie replied with a smile, though she noticed that Dana said nothing about new friends.

"That's not wonderful," Missy countered. "That's awful. Mutilating poor animals. It's…"

"Oh, shut up Missy." Dana interrupted, not in the mood to hear one of Missy's animal rights speeches. "No one cares."

"Dana," her mother warned.

"I'm going to my room," Dana replied. She stayed in there the rest of the night.


	2. Psychology and Quarterbacks

Chapter 2: Psychology and Quarterbacks

The rest of the week continued without any major incident for Dana. She had pegged the identity of the school from the very beginning. Fairfield High was a small school filled with students who have known each other since elementary school. Those types of schools are not usually welcoming to new students. No one approached her, though Dana was positive everyone know who she was. The taunting, though, continued. Nothing monumental, they just snickered behind her back and called out to her. Dana expected something bigger; she felt it coming. 

As she walked down the hall alone on Friday morning, her guard was up. She saw the same group that had sent Jason to her locker on Monday further down the hall. As she walked by them, she clutched her books close to her chest as she held her breath. Dana knew it was coming, and it came. A large girl standing on the edge of the group, suddenly thrusted out her hip, making contact with Dana's petite frame. Dana went flying to the ground, her books sliding across the linoleum. 

"Oh, I'm sorry," the girl apologized mockingly.

Dana cursed herself for wearing a skirt as her face changed every shade of red. She knew even before she opened her eyes that the entire hall had stopped to see the "hilarious" scene before them. A split second later, the hall erupted in a mocking laughter. For a minute, Dana wanted to cry; then she wanted to scream. She ignored both of these urges as she sat up on her knees to gather her books. She just wanted to leave the horrible scene and forget it ever happened, but she could not gather her books up fast enough. 

Just as she reached for her Psychology book, a sneakered foot kicked it across the floor before stepping on her hand. Now Dana was fuming. She grabbed her book and pushed the owner of the foot to the floor on her way up. The crowd suddenly stopped laughing. As she rose to her feet, she saw who was now lying on the floor. 

Tiny Dana Scully had pushed the quarterback of the Fairfield High Football Team to the floor. "Oops," she said more to herself than to him. The football quarterback stood up slowly; he did not look happy. Dana knew that by proper etiquette gentlemen did not hit a lady, but she hardly considered the 6'5" man in front of her gentle. He looked as if he were about to raise a fist to her, so Dana instinctively closed her eyes. It appeared that she had gotten herself deeper than she could handle. 

She expected the fist to swiftly make contact with her face, but she opened her eyes when it did not. Dana saw another male student step between Dana and her impending fistfight (because if someone hit her, she was bound to hit him back).

"Guys, you've had your fun. Leave her be," the body standing between Dana and a very unhappy quarterback said. "Come on."

The student ushered her down the hall with a gentle hand on her back, guiding her through the slowly dissipating crowds. Dana mumbled a "Thank you" without even glancing up to her escort, but as she felt his eyes upon her face, she warily glanced up. Immediately recognizing the face as the owner of the locker next to hers, she spoke, "I…uh…apologize for yelling at you the other day."

The boy broke his eye contact with her, looking to the ceiling, and shrugged. "No big deal." They continued walking until it dawned on Dana that she needed to go to class. 

"My psychology class is the other way."

"I know; I'm in your class. You don't want to walk back through those crowds, do you?"

Dana shook her head.

"I know a short cut," he said mock-mysteriously as he opened an inconspicuous door and steered her though it. "You see, this school is one big horseshoe, but there is a hall that runs between the two main halls. It has a back-entrance to all of the class rooms."

"Oh. Why is no one else back here?" she asked, instinctively becoming suspicious. 

"No one knows about it. I don't even think most of the teachers remember. The only reason I know is because my uncles and my mother attended this school when it first opened, and everyone used it then."

"Why don't they use it any more?" Dana asked, not quite following.

"Fire code. It's really narrow, and as the school became bigger, overcrowded hallways became more of an issue. So, sometime between my mother's graduation and my coming to FHS, they just locked all the doors and eventually forgot about it. I came across this key a while ago. It's a master key, and I guess it still fits these doors. Anyway, here we are," he finished as he opened another door, revealing the Psychology/Sociology classroom.

Dana smiled and hesitantly slid into a seat next to…. "I'm sorry. I didn't catch your name. I'm Dana Scully." She confidently held out her hand.

The boy gave her a funny look and replied, "Fox Mulder."

Dana Scully's eyebrow rose, "Fox?"

The boy knew what she meant. "What's wrong with Fox?"

"I dunno," she shrugged. "It's not really a name."

Fox laughed. "It's never been a personal favorite of mine."

"Mulder," Dana replied, calling him by his surname like in the Navy, where her Ahab was referred to as "Scully," which is what Ahab called his children when they were being punished.

"What?" he replied.

"It sounds better. You don't mind, do you?" Dana replied.

Mulder shrugged. "No, I don't mind at all _Scully_."

Scully laughed as the teacher began class. Later that night, Maggie Scully could tell that her daughter had had a better day, and as Dana recounted the events of her day to her mother, she completely forgot about the incident in the hall.

A/N: Sorry I took forever and a day to update this story. I started this chapter a while ago, but I had a research paper to write, and after finishing it, the last thing I wanted to do was write more. And I hope you guys don't mind the Mulder v. Fox and Scully v. Dana thing. I just couldn't stand them calling each other by their first names, and I hope the reasoning behind it fits. Reviews make me write faster. (but at my rate, I couldn't be writing any slower!!!).


	3. Night Oceans and Vanilla Lattes

Chapter 3: Night Oceans and Vanilla Lattes

Dana ate her dinner that night rather quickly. After she helped her mother clear the dishes, she approached her father.

"Can I go to the library tonight, Daddy?"

"Dana, it's a Friday night. Isn't there someplace else you'd rather go?" William Scully asked his younger daughter.

Dana adamantly shook her head.

"Oh, all right. Here are the car keys. Make sure you wear a warm coat. The November nights are cold."

"Thanks Daddy," Dana replied as she grabbed her keys and ran out the door.

"And Starbuck," her father's words stopped Dana before she left the house. "Don't get too wet at the beach."

  
Dana smiled at her father and how well he knew her, "I won't, Ahab." 

Dana drove her car to the makeshift parking lot above the beach. As she ran down the sand dunes to the shoreline, she tossed off her shoes and yanked off her socks. Then, she patiently rolled up her flared jeans as far as they would go. After jumping up and down a few times to assure herself that the jeans were secure, she gingerly stepped into the oncoming waves.

Dana closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. The rhythmic sound of the crashing waves and the biting aroma of the saltwater welcomed her like an old friend. She took a few steps back until she was on dry sand and sank to the ground. She leaned back on her elbows and took a mental picture of her new beach. From where she was sitting, the beach to her right was smooth and straight as far as she could see. On her left, though, she could only see for fifty or so yards because of an intruding cliff, complete with a rocky ledge. Dana assumed that the beach took a sharp turn inland at that point.

As her feet and lower legs became accustomed to the coldness of the sea water, Dana walked farther into the water. It was low tide, and as she turned to face the beach from the water, she saw the debris washed ashore earlier that evening. Oddly, this was her favorite part of new beaches. She loved to see what odd items the tide left behind. When she was five years old, she had found a torn, stiff piece of canvas. Her father had told her it was part of a sail, possibly from a wrecked ship. Dana had cut a small piece of this fabric off, and kept it in her special box. She walked up the shoreline, towards the cliff, searching the debris for anything unique. Her trained eyes looked passed driftwood and seaweed and expertly stepped over dead jellyfish and sharp rocks.

Meanwhile, her attention shifted from the sand in front of her to the new scene before her as she rounded the jagged cliff. It seemed that the entire Fairfield High School student body had turned out for a beach bonfire. 

"Figures I wasn't invited," Dana said aloud, though no one was close enough to hear her. "Doesn't matter anyway."

Though it did. Not that she valued their opinions whatsoever, it never feels good to be left out. Just as Dana was about to turn around and head back towards the more familiar and secluded beach, she saw a dark figure walking towards her. Because the bonfire was directly behind the approaching person, Dana could not make out a single feature. She just calmly turned on her heel and continued to her destination.

"Nice jeans, Scully," the familiar voice said, a smile in his tone.

Once again Dana spun around, this time with a smile on her face. She sheepishly looked down at her pants before looking at his face. "Hey, Mulder."

"What are you doing by yourself on the beach in the dark?"

"I'm not alone now, am I?" Scully countered, smiling.

"It depends. Am I interrupting something?" Mulder asked.

She shook her head. "No, I'm just getting settled in."

"How do you mean?"

"Whenever we move to a new city, I always visit the beach and….well…pick out my spot. I know this sounds weird, but I always feel at home when I'm near the ocean. It's like an old friend."

"It doesn't sound _that_ weird," Mulder replied sarcastically, feigning confusion at such an oddity.

Scully lightly smacked his arm. "Are you sure I'm not bothering you?"

"No, I was done. It's not like I have some elaborate ceremony," she smiled.

"You have a pretty smile, Scully," Mulder blurted.

This made her smile even bigger, "Thank you."

"From what I've seen, you don't do it often enough."

"I have to have reason to smile."

"Does everything you do have to have a reason?"

"Of course," she smirked.

"Well, I'll just have to figure out how to make you smile," Mulder smiled tenderly. "Do you like coffee?"

"I love coffee," Scully replied, smiling.

"Good. Let's go get coffee."

"Well…"

"What've you got to lose?" his eyes boring into hers questioningly, daring her to say no.

Scully shrugged, "It's worth the risk. How far is it? My car is up a little ways."

"Oh, we'll walk," Mulder sat down beside her as she put on her socks and shoes and unrolled her jeans. "Ready?" he asked, offering his hand.

She placed her small hand in his and they walked away from the cliff, further down the beach. After five or so minutes of a comfortable silence along the ocean line, Mulder directed them straight up the beach towards a row of old, beach houses. "We'll cut through here. The coffee shop is only two blocks away now."

"Are you sure the people who own this house won't mind?" Scully asked, wary of trespassing as Mulder hopped the fence.

"Positive. I live here."

She followed him silently, and as soon as she reached the other side, Mulder reclaimed her hand. The coffee shop was only five minutes away. When Mulder held the door for her as they entered the coffee shop, a gust of aromatic wind greeted her. "I love the smell of coffee."

"Of course you do, who doesn't? I think you'll like this place."

As Scully looked around, she realized that this was definitely a picturesque coffee shop. Couches divided the room into smaller sections, allowing an intimate feeling. Bookshelves covered three of the walls, and the bar covered the fourth. "Me, too."

"Can I help you?" a cheerful, little old woman wearing a green apron inquired. 

"Hi, Sophie," Mulder replied.

"Fox! What a pleasant surprise!" the old woman wiped her hands on a towel and scurried around the bar to embrace Mulder in a hug. "And you brought a friend!" Sophie continued, eyeing Scully, who merely smiled under her gaze. Obviously, this was reason enough for Sophie's approval, and Scully found her enveloped in the old woman's tiny arms.

"Hi, I…I'm Dana Scully," Scully stuttered, surprised to be so readily accepted by the little woman.

After stepping back and eyeing the two teenagers again, Sophie asked, "Now, what can I get you two tonight?"

Scully looked at Mulder, who motioned for her to order first. "Can I have a vanilla latte?"

"Do you want dessert?" Sophie asked, as if sizing Scully up once again.

"Well, _Fox_ was just bragging about your cheesecake?" Scully fibbed, hoping that she made cheesecake.

Sophie beamed. "With a vanilla latte, you should have try my Heath caramel cheesecake."

"Okay, then one vanilla latte and a slice of your Heath caramel cheesecake," Scully replied.  


"And what for you, Fox? The usual," Sophie asked.

"Yes ma'am," Mulder replied politely.

"Okay, then I'll have those ready for you shortly," Sophie said as she went into what must have been the kitchen.

While waiting for their orders, Dana turned around, resting her elbows on the counter behind her. "How long have you been coming here?" she asked, looking up at Mulder.

"Years. I think the first time I came I was five years old. My mother and I stopped in here as a break from shopping," he smiled.

"Have you lived here all of your life?"

He shook his head. "Actually, when we first came here, my family lived in Martha's Vineyard. We were only visiting my parents' friends. I think it was Christmas break."

Sophie interrupted with a tray of coffee and cake and placed it on the countertop between her and the two teenagers. Scully took out her wallet, but Mulder gently pushed it back into her purse. "My treat."

She wanted to protest but decided against it. It was nice just to let someone treat her for a change. Mulder handed Sophie some crumpled bills and took the tray from her. "Thanks, Sophie."

"You're welcome, Foxy," the old woman smiled.

Mulder let Scully pick one of the various, mismatched sofas, and she chose an old, worn red velvet one in the corner nearest to the fireplace. Mulder placed the tray on the elegant antique coffee table as they sat down. Scully snuggled into the arm of the couch and kicked off her shoes to sit cross-legged on the couch. Mulder shifted so that he was facing her as he handed her the coffee and cheesecake and grabbed his own.

"So, who's party was that?" Scully began the conversation before eating her first bite of cheesecake.

"Hmm? Oh, It wasn't really a party. It was the annual unofficial pre-Homecoming FHS bonfire." They continued their conversation between sips of coffee and bites of cheesecake.

"Oh."

"It's really stupid, but there's not much else to do, here."

Scully just sipped her coffee and nodded.

"So, where did you move from?" Mulder shoved a huge forkful of cherry cheesecake into his mouth.

"This past time we moved from Cape Cod, but we lived in California before that."

He sipped his coffee, impressed. "I take it you don't like moving this much?"

Scully vehemently shook her head, "No, when I grow up, I don't want to move around at all. I want to open up a small psychologist's office and stay put." Scully drank the last few drops of her latte before quietly placing the cup back on the tray, next to her already cleared dessert plate. Mulder finished his shortly after her, and his plate and cup soon rested next to hers.

"You like psychology? I don't understand that class at all," Mulder admitted.

"Oh, I think it's fascinating how the human mind works! Maybe because I've seen such a repetitious pattern in all of the places I've lived."

"Maybe you can help me study sometime," Mulder suggested.

"Yeah, I'd like that." 

Scully glanced at her watch. "Oh! It's getting late; I better be going. My dad only thought I was going to the beach. Thank you for the coffee and cheesecake. It was wonderful."

Mulder grabbed the tray from the table, "I'll walk you back to your car."

"No, really it's okay. Thank you for everything. I'll see you round," she said, rushed into one breath.

"You sure?"

"Uh-huh," Scully buttoned her coat.

"Okay, well, what about tomorrow night?"

"What about it?" Scully countered, slipping her leather gloves on her hands, oblivious to Mulder's hesitancy.

"I, uhm, thought that if you weren't busy I could take you out?"

Scully stopped what she was doing, "On a date?"

"Well, yeah, I guess," Mulder said, hope and anxiety evident in his voice and eyes.

"Okay!" she smiled.

"Can I have your phone number?"

Scully frowned, "I don't know it yet."

"Do you have an address?"

"Oh, yeah, here," Scully scribbled it on a napkin.

"Thanks. Can I pick you up at seven?"

"Sounds good. Bye Mulder!" Scully rushed out the door.

"Bye," he whispered, but she was already gone. As he turned to the kitchen, Sophie disappeared from eyes view, though Mulder caught her wink and the look in her eyes. He walked home, smiling.

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A/N: and you guys thought I had dropped off the planet! Well, this one took a couple days to cough up, so I don't know how good this is.

Be brutal in your critiques!

Theresa


	4. Pride and Mashed Potatoes

*****PLEASE NOTE***** I changed the ending of chapter three. I just removed the part where Mulder asked Scully on a date. He wouldn't be as forward as that. Please read the last couple lines of chapter three so that you can follow this better. Thanks! 

~theresa

Chapter 4: Pride and Mashed Potatoes

The rest of Dana's weekend was rather bland. Her father did not say anything to her about returning so late, knowing to trust his daughter. Anyway, her mood seemed to lighten significantly, and Bill Scully had no intentions of ruining it.

As the weekend progressed, though, Dana became more withdrawn and quiet. She was pondering Friday night; she was overanalyzing the situation. She reverted back to her careful, defensive self. 

She was still wary of Mulder, even though he had been friendly. More than friendly, he helped her in the hallway last week. But still, Dana was more comfortable keeping him (and everyone else) at a safe distance. And for obvious reasons. It's safe. Not that she did not like Mulder, it was just that Dana was never one to trust so easily. Dana decided not to get too involved too soon, for she was liable to get hurt. 

She tried not to think too much about it over the weekend. Though she denied it even to herself, she was glad that they had talked. She hoped they would be friends. She needed a friend, though she would never admit it.

******************************************************************************

Monday morning dragged its feet. Although it was only the second week Dana had been at Fairfield High, Dana hated Mrs. James, her English teacher. Mrs. James was the kind of teacher who loved the cheerleader, pretty girls. Like that Amber bitch that was supposed to show Dana around school. Dana never understood why some teachers preferred the ditzy, popular students to the smart, hard-working ones. Well, she knew that it was most likely because Mrs. James used to be a pretty, snobby cheerleader. That is, until everyone else was able to move beyond high school, and her teenage charm melted into the matronly, hardened face of a New York hooker at the ripe age of thirty-three. Go figure.

Either way, Mrs. James did not like Dana, and the feelings were mutual.

Pre-Calculus was okay. Math is not exactly a class wholly affected by the teacher, unless the teacher is outrageously incompetent or incredibly brilliant. Mr. Hart was neither. Math always came to Dana relatively quickly, so the effort she put into this class was minimal, at least compared to her other classes.

French II was surprising difficult. The teacher, Mme. DuPree, expected much more than any of Dana's other French teachers, presumably because Mme. DuPree was actually French.

Dana thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Whittman's public speaking class. It was nice to have such a pleasant class right before lunch, because the time did not slow as much as in, say, Pre-Calculus. 

When lunch came, Dana could not decide whether she was happy. Anything was better than sitting through the horrid classes of high school, though she knew to expect a retaliation from the football team. How in the hell did she always manage to pick fights with the worst possible people?

As she stood at the entrance of the enormous cafeteria, she quickly spotted Mulder at a central table with a group of guys. Subconsciously, Dana decided that they were neither jocks nor geeks, but fit somewhere in between on the social scale of high school. They seemed athletic but intelligent, a nice combination. Something about them, though, caused Mulder to stick out, like somehow he did not quite belong.

She did not want to walk up to him and ask to sit down, that would seem needy. Even so, she did not know exactly where she stood with him. She had not seen or heard from him since the coffee shop. Not that he had any means to contact her. The phone lines were not installed yet and she did not give him her address. 

She scanned the cafeteria. Last week, she had sat quietly next to her brother as he rambled on with his newfound friends, nibbling on her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She probably would have continued this safe routine except for the fact that Charlie had complained to Mom that Dana had been "following me all over," which raised Maggie's concerns about her younger daughter's social life. 

"Dana, honey, why don't you find some nice girls in your class to sit with at lunch. They just need to get to know you," Maggie urged.

"Okay, I will," Dana replied, facetiously sweet. She had no intention whatsoever of fulfilling her mother's wishes. Dana did not work like that.

Dana saw a table close to the kitchen that was mostly empty. She could easily sit there and read her book, _A Tree Grows in Brooklyn_. The only occupants of the table were a freshman girl with frizzy hair and what looked like a sophomore, maybe a junior, boy with thick rimmed glasses and an overbite. As she slid into the far end of the table, Dana contrasted sharply with the other two students. Although Dana's personality allowed her to quietly assume her role at the bottom of the high school social ladder, her physical attributes placed her much higher. Dana was pretty, despite her slender, almost gawky appearance. Her bright blue eyes and her red hair more than made up for her uncouth stature, which would, in all likeliness, evolve into grace as she matured.

She sat peacefully reading her book, lost in her own world amidst the chaos of the lunchroom. A couple of the first year Varsity Football players, wanting to earn points with the quarterback, saw Dana as a chance to become the quarterback's pet. After all, it was a well-known fact among students that when the Fairfield High quarterback was a senior, his lackey almost always succeeded him as the star of the football team the following year.

A group of football players whispered mischievously among themselves as they walked out of the kitchen and into the dining area of the cafeteria. The most daring one, who was also, not ironically, the one with nothing to lose, crept up behind Dana with a fist-full of lumpy, runny mashed potatoes. As he swiftly stuffed the potatoes down the back of Dana's sweater, Dana practically flew. Once again, Dana was made the butt of a school-wide joke and the cafeteria burst into laughter.

As Dana stood at her table, mashed potatoes oozing out of the back and bottom of her sweater, she felt as if the whole world had stopped to mock her. No one moved. At least, no one except Mulder. Once again, Mulder miraculously appeared at her side to help her, but this time, Dana had turned to leave the cafeteria before she even saw him, which was just as well. Dana Scully walked out of the Fairfield High School cafeteria with as much pride as she could muster; her head held high. Dutifully, Mulder followed her out to the hallway, where she let her guard down; her shoulders slumped in defeat. As soon as she saw him, her guard went back up with as much force as before.

"Are you okay?" Mulder asked feebly.

The red-faced glare Scully shot him told him otherwise.

"Come on," he coaxed gently, "I have one of my smaller T-shirts in my car. It's clean."

Scully just nodded.

When they got to his 1972 Chevy, Mulder reached into a gym bag in his passenger seat and pulled out a plain, gray shirt. "It's tight on me, so it should be okay." Mulder turned around as she slid into his car and quickly switched shirts. When Mulder turned around, Scully was standing, awkwardly holding the bundled mass of a green wool sweater and mashed potatoes. "Here's a paper bag you can keep your sweater in," Mulder offered, pouring the contents of it onto the floor of his car.

Continuing her silence, Scully walked along side of Mulder as they trudged back into school. As Mulder turned to speak, he noticed the tears streaming down Scully's face. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Don't cry, Scully. It's okay."

"How long will they keep doing this?" Scully asked quietly.

"It's over."

"But how can you be sure?" she whispered.

Mulder smiled. "Nothing can keep their attention for too long. Tomorrow, it'll be the next football game, or the freshman boy that accidentally walked into the girl's locker room. Don't forget, Friday is the big Homecoming Game. They just had to win the last battle, so to speak. They sure couldn't leave the situation standing as the quarterback of the football team was pushed to the ground by the new underclassman. Do you know what that can do to a guy's reputation?!" 

Scully laughed, albeit halfheartedly.

"See, things are looking up already."


	5. Soda Pop Psychology

Fairfield, Connecticut

Chapter Five: Soda Pop Psychology

Of course, Mulder was right. The next morning at school, the football team passed Dana in the hall without a second glance. Dana quietly and gratefully assumed her role as one of the countless bodies roaming the hallways between classes. 

While Dana did not like her morning classes any better than before, they were becoming easier to bear. Dana was warming up to her public speaking teacher, Mr. Whitman. He always seemed to accent his lectures with his own life stories. The class was never too boring.

When she walked into the lunchroom, though, she could not help but feel paranoid. As she glanced over to a table in the center of the cafeteria, relief washed over her and Mulder motioned for her to sit next to him. He had saved her a seat.

She slid into her seat and greeted Mulder with a smile. "How were your morning classes?" she began the conversation.

"Could've been worse. Yours?"

Scully smiled, "Not bad, but I'm glad it's over."

"I think Mrs. Jefferson is going to give us a project in Psychology today. Something about how the body reacts to different pheromones," Mulder said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Scully smacked his chest half-heartedly as he snaked his arm around her shoulders and commenting on how good she smelled.

"But really, Scully, her projects are awful."

"Well maybe this one will be easier."

Mulder leveled his eyes. "I doubt it."

"If the project is that hard, maybe we can work on it together. That way, it'll go faster," Scully suggested.

"What are you doing after school today?"

"Nothing. Missy's taking our car she's going to some crystal crap."

"She's into that?"

Scully nodded.

"Cool. Oh, so do you want to work on it after school at my house?" Mulder asked.

"Sure."

"Great," Mulder smiled. "Then after Biology we'll go."

* x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x

Mulder pulled his Chevy up the driveway and threw it into park. Mulder unlocked the front door and held it open as she passed through. He dumped his book bag on the hardwood floors of the living room, next to the worn couch. Scully followed his lead. When she lifts her eyes, though, Mulder is nowhere in sight. She hears him rummaging in what she can only guess is the kitchen. He returns bearing refreshments.

"You like Coke?"

"Yeah, thanks," she took the proffered bottle.

"My mom only buys the soda in the glass bottles. She says they're more_ charismatic_," he says, accenting the last word with a girly voice and a flip of his wrist, making Scully laugh, which in turn caused him to smile.

* x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x

That afternoon was the first of many. In fact, Scully and Mulder spent almost every afternoon together. They were usually at Mulder's house because Scully's could become loud. There were always people coming and going. Mulder's house was much quieter because it was just the two of them. Mulder's parents both worked.

On this Thursday afternoon, Scully sat on his couch with an open biology book on her lap. Mulder tossed her a soda as he hopped on the couch next to her. They twisted off the caps, tossed them ceremoniously over their shoulders, and clinked bottles before taking the first sip. They glanced back behind the couch to see where their bottle caps landed. Scully laughed as she spotted hers a good three feet from the trashcan. She hopped up and walked over to where it landed. She spotted Mulder's bottle cap in the trashcan.

"As always," she commented picking up his bottle cap to show him before dropping both of them in the garbage. Before walking back to the couch, she picks up one of the pictures in a collection arranged on the piano. "Who is the little girl? She's pretty."

"Samantha. She's my sister," Mulder said. From the inflection in his voice, Scully realized that this was touchy subject.

"Oh. And that's you standing next to her?" she asked, pointing to the boy leaning against the tree.

"Uh huh. I was almost twelve when the picture was taken."

Scully placed the picture down gently and walked back to the couch. As she sat next to him, one leg tucked under her, she touched his knee gently. "Is she…dead?" Scully asked tentatively.

Mulder paused for a moment, going over the possibility. "I…don't know."

"I'm sorry, Mulder. I don't want to make you talk about something you don't want to," she apologized hurriedly.

"No, no it's not that I don't want to talk about it. I just know so little." Mulder took her hand in his and sighed, preparing for battle. "I was twelve; Sam was eight. I was babysitting her because my parents had gone to the neighbors' for dinner. We were playing a board game. This…man broke in through a back window. He kidnapped her. She kept calling my name, pleading. She wanted me to stop the man. But I was frozen. I couldn't move. I just…stood there," Mulder finished, finally making eye contact with her. He had avoided looking directly at her, afraid to see the blame and the anger that his parents felt reflected in her eyes. When he finally mustered the courage to look her in the eyes, all he saw was compassion. This empathy was foreign to him.

Scully sat silent for a long time. "Did they look for her?"

Mulder kind of shook his head in a cross between a positive nod and a negative shake, "Well, they had this big investigation. My dad is high up in the government, so he pulled a lot of strings to get task forces to find her. Even the Department of Treasury had an investigation. But as soon as the investigations started, they stopped. No explanations."

Scully squeezed Mulder's hand emphatically, "I'm sorry, Mulder. I know you must miss her."

"Yeah, no one ever talks about her anymore. It's like she never existed. It was nice to talk about her again."

"Well," Scully started, smiling, "if you ever want to talk about her again, you know where I am."

"Thanks," Mulder replied. Scully closed the space between them as she gave him a hug.

"Anytime."


	6. Holy Grails and First Kisses

Chapter 6: Holy Grails and First Kisses

Their friendship grew, especially after sharing that special conversation they shared on Mulder's couch in November. Dana&Fox, as the gossips of the school referred to them, were never apart. Although much speculation spread around the school about their relationship…

"No, _Bethany_," Dana stressed the nosy prick's name caustically, "Fox and I are just friends."

Though they were not "involved," Dana always felt a little dishonest when she replied to these questions (that girls pounded her with several times a week) in such a simple manner. She knew that their relationship far exceeded "just friendship."

The girl rolled her eyes and huffed. Dana stared at her with little amusement as Brittany spun on her heel and walked away.

Dana walked to her second period class thoughtfully. Her relationship with Mulder (a pet name that they had decided through a nonverbal agreement to keep to themselves) was unexplainable. To call them a "couple" just cheapened their relationship. They just had this strange connection; they clicked.

Even after being at the school for about a month at this point, Dana had yet to make any girlfriends. Maybe it was because deep down the girls were jealous of Dana's connection with Mulder. Maybe because their initial treatment of Dana left a bad taste in her mouth. Maybe it was because Mulder filled any hole that would otherwise be empty; if she were content, there would be no need for more friends.

After school, Dana met Mulder at his car. As she walked to the car, she caught Mulder's eye. He was leaning against the side of his Chevy with his arms crossed across his chest and a lopsided grin slapped across his face.

"Hey you," Mulder said suggestively as he blatantly looked her up and down.

Scully giggled and allowed Mulder to open the passenger door for her. She tossed her backpack in the back seat as Mulder did the same. 

"So what do you want to do tonight, pizza or Chinese?" Mulder asked, switching his glance from the road to Scully and back again.

"Let's do something different tonight. What's going on this weekend?"

"What do you mean?"

"Parties?"

"Scully, I'm shocked," Mulder replied, winking at her before returning his focus to the intersection ahead of them.

"I'm not completely antisocial. Besides, we spend every weekend together. There must have been someone you hung out with before I knew you. I would feel horrible if I kept you all to myself," she replied with a smile.

"Well, I used to spend time with Garrett, Jeff, and Aaron outside of school, you know, the guys from lunch," Mulder paused for her to nod before continuing, "but I don't know how well you'll like them."

Scully shrugged nonchalantly, "They can't be horrible, and I'm not _that _picky."

"Okay, but this is fair warning."

Mulder turned left at the intersection and headed towards what Scully would soon learn was Jeff's house. Mrs. Cummings greeted Fox at the door as he politely introduced Dana to Jeff's mother.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Cummings," Dana said politely.

"Oh, it's my pleasure. It's nice to see a fellow woman in the house every once in a while. These boys tend to take over my home," Mrs. Cummings replied with a laugh.

Dana smiled, immediately liking Mrs. Cummings. Fox guided her down the rickety basement stairs, where a round of hollering greeted them.

"Fox, we thought you'd disappeared! We haven't seen you outside of school in ages!" Garrett exclaimed.

"We'd thought we'd lost you!" Jeff joined in.

"Well, a better offer came around," Fox replied in the same jovial tone as Jeff and Garrett. "You guys know Dana."

Garrett, who proved to be the flirt of the group, stood up and bowed humbly, sending Jeff and Aaron into another fit of laughter. In a Southern gentlemen accent, he continued his charade, "Why Miss Scully, it is an absolute PLEASURE to be in your presence on this fine," he paused to call attention to his hand as he motioned to an invisible skyline, "November evening."

Dana smiled quietly. She had been accepted as a friend outside the boundaries of the schoolyard. As the night wore on, though, she shed her shy exterior to yield a character even Mulder had not before witnessed. The true sailor shone through as she became louder and more laid back. Mulder, for one, loved it.

X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X 

Mulder and Scully practically burst out of the movie theatre at about quarter till midnight that night, still in a fit of laughter. Much to Mulder's surprise, and her own, Scully had thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with Mulder's friends. They had just finished watching _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_. An absolutely ridiculous film.

They walked arm in arm down the sidewalk because Mulder had parked. As a sharp gust of wind attacked them, Scully clutched his arm tighter because she was cold. Or at least that was how she rationalized it. Mulder snaked his arm out of her grasp and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Cold?"

"Mmm."

When they reached the car, he opened the door for her before sliding into his own seat. They drove to her house in comfortable silence, lost in their own thoughts. When they pulled into her driveway, Mulder grabbed her bookbag out of the back seat and turned off the ignition. He walked her up to the front door. Instead of going inside like she usually did, Scully waited. For what, she did not exactly know at the time, though it was obvious. 

Tentatively Mulder leaned down to kiss Scully. What started as an innocent good night kiss slowly evolved. "It was nothing pornographic," Dana would later write in her journal, "but it was definitely something I would not want Mom or Ahab to know about." It was deep, an expression of affection that two people rarely experienced at such a young age.

A/N: wow, I am horribly, frighteningly slow at updating this story. I promise to give you another chapter today, (well, actually tomorrow since it's 11:21 (ah! 11:21!) but you probably won't read this till Tuesday.) And it'll get better. I hope. I don't know exactly where I'm going with this. Well, I do, I just don't know how to get there.


	7. Dark Secrets and Dark Attics

To bookyalex: how did you know something bad was going to happen?! You're absolutely ESPing me!

To daydr3am3r: just for you I changed Brittany to Bethany. I hope no one out there is named Bethany.

Chapter 7: Dark Secrets and Dark Attics

Mulder and Scully crossed that invisible line without any verbal admission of such. There was no "Will you be my girlfriend?" no first date. They just became whatever it was that they were. Even so, they went through the initial phase of not being able to keep their hands off each other. After all, they were only teenagers.

Instead of flaunting their relationship, though, they decided to keep it between themselves. Neither of them wanted to draw attention to themselves by proving the rumors correct. Surprisingly enough, it was not that difficult to keep their private life separate from their, well, public life. This worked only because of how well they knew each other. They spoke volumes with just their eyes.

One Thursday afternoon about two weeks after their first kiss, Mulder and Scully sat on his couch, sipping Coca-Cola and studying for Scully's upcoming Pre-Calculus test. As Mulder and Scully sat side-by-side, both focused on the book in Scully's lap, Scully sighed in exasperation.

"I will never understand matrices! Much less augmented matrices!"

Mulder patiently took the notebook off the couch and opened it to a fresh sheet of loose-leaf paper, "Here, I'll show you. They're just big puzzles. It's an easy way to solve multiple-variable equations."

Mulder drew an augmented matrix according to the set of equations for the first problem. "You want to get the matrix part on the left to be the identity matrix, so we'll pick a row to start with. I always start on the bottom, so you can work your way up. The bottom has to be zero, zero, one, so we'll divide the whole bottom row by five to simplify it. Then, well multiply the middle row by negative two and add it to the bottom row. Do you see how that cleans up the last row?" Mulder asked, looking up from the paper now covered in his barely decipherable handwriting.

Scully studied the paper sitting in Mulder's lap, her brow furrowing in frustration. After seconds had passed, she looked up under Mulder's gaze. "What?" she smiled.

"You're so cute when you're confused," Mulder teased.

Scully laughed and playfully slapped his arm, only to have her hand intercepted midair. Mulder looked into her eyes over her hand, daring her to pull her hand back as he kissed each knuckle. Sensing that she was rising to the challenge, he lowered her hand and moved towards her lips. They kissed once. Twice. Three times. Just as they were about to deepen the kiss, Scully pulled away, her frustration at her math consuming her mind. "Fine, Mulder. You win! I really need to study this."

Mulder smiled triumphantly before obediently turning back to the task at hand. "After you set one row into the order that you want, the next two are easy. You just use this row to manipu- " his instructions were cut off by a crashing in the garage that connected to the house by way of a door in the kitchen. Confusion washed over Scully's face as the color drained out of Mulder's.

"Mulder, what was th- " Scully's sentence was cut off when Mulder yanked her off the couch and towards the back hallway. He left her standing as he turned back towards the living room, inspecting the living room with a trained eye. Before returning to Scully, Mulder had grabbed both of their bookbags and half-empty Coke bottles and the picture of him and his sister Scully had first picked up months before. He shoved the backpacks and

"Shh, come on," Mulder instructed in a fierce whisper. Scully opened her mouth to protest but closed it quickly as Mulder dragged her through the weaving hallway and up a creaky stairway that he revealed through an old, rarely used door. Mulder shut the door quietly behind them as Scully watched for the next instruction.

"Only step on the second, third, fifth, seventh, tenth, eleventh, and thirteenth stair," Mulder replied to Scully's unasked question. Scully looked at him strangely. Mulder waved his hands in the air as if to erase his last comment. "Nevermind that. Just step only where I step. The stairs are incredibly noisy."

Scully did as she was told. She only paused on the seventh step so that Mulder could help her skip two steps because her short stature did not allow her the long legs that Mulder had inherited. They reached the top step, and Mulder slowly opened the door at the top of the stairs, pulling slightly upward on the doorknob as he pressed forward to eradicate the squeaking of the rusty hinges. As Scully stood at the entrance of a dusty attic, Mulder closed the door behind them. Scully turned towards him as he let out a sigh, waiting for his explanation. None came.

"Well?"

Mulder looked at her as if startled by her presence. 

Scully repeated her question, "What was that about?"

"That? Oh, that. Um, it was nothing," Mulder grasped for an excuse.

"You're lying."

Mulder took that as a declaration rather than an accusation and did not try to defend himself. He led her to the back corner of the attic, close to the window. As Scully sat down on the floor next to him, she wrapped her arms around her legs and sighed. "Will you tell me when you're ready?"

"Uh huh."

Mulder's last statement, however incoherent, hung in the air between them. Scully used the silence to study her new habitat. The corner in which they sat was protected from view by anyone entering the haphazardly piled boxes that sat on the other side of Mulder. Scully was sandwiched between the wall whose lack of drywall exposed a series of electrical wires, much like any other unfinished attic or basement, and a very uneasy Mulder. Across the attic from them, as well as the rest of the attic that Scully suspected ran the length of the house itself, was littered with old furniture covered in dusty white sheets and old chests filled with the treasures of the past. A mattress rested opposite of Scully against the wall on which she leaned her head. The only light came through the window on that same wall; its beams of light reflected off the dust floating in the air. For a moment in time, their world was still.

Mulder opened his mouth to explain what was going on when another crash downstairs made both Mulder and Scully visibly flinch.

"FOX!" a deep voice boomed from what Scully would guess is the living room. The voice's beckon was answered with silence. "I know you're home, _FOX_! Your fucking car is in MY driveway," the voice spat. Once again, the color left Mulder's already pale face. 

"I…uh..um, I'll be right back, Scully. Don't move, okay," Mulder whispered.

Scully looked at him quizzically. 

"DON'T COME DOWNSTAIRS FOR ANYTHING!" Mulder ordered in a tone somewhere between a barked command and a stern whisper.

"Ah..uh, okay," Scully stuttered.

"You have to swear! It'll only make it worse," Mulder insisted as another "FOX!" rattled the windows in their panes.

"I won't!" Scully whispered back. Before she could say another word, Mulder had stealthily snuck out of the attic and down the staircase. Scully strained to hear what was going on below her, but only fragments of Mulder's responses floated up to her ears.

"You sonovabitch! Why didn't you come when I called you the first time?!" the voice boomed.

"I..I was on the john, Dad," Mulder answered fearfully.

"You fucking liar! You lie, just like your mother, that bitch!!"

"No, Dad, I'm not lying!" Mulder pleaded.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Scully clutched her knees closer to her chest.

At this point, she could not make out any more conversation. She heard glass breaking, and the disgusting sound of flesh hitting flesh. Every time she heard a crash, she jumped. Harder and harder her body shook until it climaxed into violent convulsions. It took all of her will power to stay grounded to the unfinished hardwood floors. 

About fifteen minutes into the torrent that attacked their peaceful studying, Scully heard a door slam, and the squeal of tires on the pavement. She crawled to the window and peered out just as the man, Mulder's father, drove down the road. She shakily counted to five before going downstairs. As she headed toward the stairwell, she tried to remember the pattern. "Thirteen, eleven, ten…ah, screw it!" Scully threw her hands up in disgust as she bounded down the stairs and into the living room. The scene before her stopped her in her tracks.

Books, papers, glass, and furniture strewn everywhere. She was shocked. As soon as she spotted Mulder, lying on the floor at the foot of the couch. "Mulder!" she was at his side in an instant.

"Mulder, move your hands from your head. I have to see how bad it is," Scully cooed soothingly, though she herself could not help but shake.

"I'm fine," Mulder argued.

"No, you're not. Do you have a first aid kit?" Scully continued.

"Ooo, do we get to play doctor?!" Mulder jeered in a weak attempt to distract her. Scully's glare stopped his protests. "Down the hall, under the sink."

Scully took her time cleaning and bandaging his wounds. Midway through, though, a thought interrupted her progress, "Should we go back upstairs?"

Mulder shook his head, "He won't come home until late tonight. Or early tomorrow."

Twenty minutes later, much to his own protest, Mulder lied on the couch as Scully tidied up as best she could while she demanded explanation.

"My father's always been…an angry person. Always yelling, going off at the slightest disturbance. It wasn't until after Sam was kidnapped that he became physical. It coincided with his renewed interest in alcohol. Dad was a recovering alcoholic. Was, that is, until five years ago. Now, he comes home at odd hours, usually drunk. That's when the fights break out."

Scully was silent for a few moments as she concentrated on the shards of glass, remnants of a cheery potpourri holder. "Then we should stay at my house."

"No, because sometimes my mom is home. If I'm not here, no one will defend her."

Scully scowled as she pricked her finger on a shard. "Scully, don't clean that up, I'll get it later."

"No, I'm almost done, then we'll go to my house for dinner."

"But- "Mulder began to protest, but Scully had already expected this.

"Mom'll let us take food to the upstairs living room. She doesn't ask questions."

"Okay," he conceded.

Silence lay between them for a good five minutes.

"Scully?"

"Mm, hmm?" she asked as she put the last pillow in its place.

"Thank you."

A small, sad smile upturned the edges of her mouth. She leaned in and gave him a short, sweet kiss. "You're welcome."


	8. Repercussions and Breakdowns

Chapter Eight: Repercussions and Breakdowns

Scully stood at her back door and watched Mulder walk home. Before he turned the corner down his street, Mulder turned and waved to her one last time. She returned the gesture and entered her house. 

She stood in the kitchen and thanked God that everyone was in the family room watching television. She could easily sneak up the back stairwell and down the hall to her bedroom. The last thing she wanted to do was to spend time with people.

She crept down the hall into the bathroom adjoining her room to Melissa's room. She closed both doors to the bathroom and turned the shower on as hot as it would go. Slowly, she peeled off her clothes, one by one, in a strange 'calm-before-the-storm' manner. As she stepped under the pounding water, the heavens opened and her tears began to flower. Harder and harder until she could not control them anymore. She leaned against the wall of the shower, sinking to the floor of the bathtub.

There she sat, letting the shower drain out the sound of her sobs and wash away her tears. Twenty minutes she sat like that until she could no longer cry. The muscles in her stomach were sore, her fingertips wrinkly from the water. Slowly, she turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. Scully wrapped her periwinkle terrycloth robe around her, clutching it tight, before opening the door of the bathroom leading to her bedroom.

She sat down on her bed and finally laid her head down on the pillow; she pulled the quilt up to her neck. Her mind numbly raced because she knew that this problem was larger than she had ever bargained for. She had no experience in this situation, and she felt that… To be honest, she did not know what she felt.

Slowly, she drifted off into a fitful sleep, haunted by the crashing and yelling of her afternoon.

The next morning went by in a blur. Scully wandered through the halls of Fairfield High. When she ended up in her next period class, she was kind of shocked to find herself there because she did not remember entering the room. She did not hear one word any of her teachers spoke. In Pre-Calculus, as the teacher placed a test on her desk, Scully looked up quickly. Then, as if slapped across the face, she realized where she was.

She focused on her test as best as she could. She wanted to do her best because she suspected that Mulder would feel guilty if she did poorly. As if he could have prevented yesterday from happening. Methodically, step-by-step. Multiply. Add. Divide. Although she was the last one to finish her test, Scully was proud of herself. She probably did not earn an A, but it was definitely a high B.

Only two more classes until lunch. Until Mulder. In French, Scully fell asleep, only to be awoken by snickers and the loud crash of the ruler against her desk. She woke up with a loud "No!" much to the amusement of the class. Mme. DuPree, startled by Scully's outburst, looked at the girl strangely.

"Are..are you all right?" the teacher asked. Scully nodded. "Dana, would you like to go to the bathroom?" Scully nodded. 

She squeezed out of her seat and walked to the bathroom, once again in a daze, though she could feel the adrenaline coursing through her body. The crash of the ruler on her desk translated to the crash of Mulder hitting the floor in her dreams. "God, help me," she whispered as she applied a cold, wet paper towel to her face. She stood in front of the mirror for a full five minutes before trudging back to class. Mme. DuPree did not disturb her the rest of class. As the bell rang and Scully filed out of class, just like everyone else, she was stopped with a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Mme. DuPree studying Scully's face.

"Dana, are sure you're okay?" Mme. DuPree asked.

Scully studied the teacher's face before speaking, "Yeah, I just had…" Dana made up some story about how her father almost fell off one of the Navy ships and how she has recurring nightmares about it. "It always scares me when he's at sea," she finished, hoping her story was at least minutely plausible.

The old lady smiled at her, "I understand. My mother was a flight attendant, and it always scared me when she flew, especially long flights. If you ever need to talk about it, I'm here."

Dana smiled and thanked the woman. She liked Mme. DuPree, and she kind of felt bad for making up that story.

Scully slept through the entire Public Speaking class. No one was paying attention because everyone was giving his or her persuasive speeches, and she had already done hers last week.

Finally, lunch came. Mulder met Scully by her locker, which was unusual because they usually met each other at the lunch table. Mulder was anxious; he gave her a nervous smile, testing out the waters. Scully feebly returned the smile, her focus on his face. She could not find any evidence of last nights events on his face. Mulder shifted under her gaze. "I'm okay," he whispered.

Scully frowned.

"I..uh made you lunch," he offered, presented two brown bags.

"Thanks, you didn't have to do that," she spoke for the first time.

"I'm the one that should be saying that to you. Let's go to lunch," Mulder coaxed, taking her hand in his.

Scully nodded and let him lead her to the cafeteria. They sat at their usual table with the guys from the "Monty Python" movie night, who all hollered their hellos. Mulder smiled and returned their greetings, but Scully stayed silent. The three boys shot quizzical glances towards Mulder, but Mulder just shook his head. The boys let the couple be.

Following Mulder's lead, Scully opened her paper bag, taking out a bottle of Coke, a sandwich, a bag of potato chips and an apple. Mulder sat across from her, watching the pained expression on her face. She just stared at the food, not having the will to eat. "Scully, com'on and eat. Just a little bit. Scully nodded and took a small bite out of her turkey and cheese sandwich. Mulder opened his soda bottle before doing the same to hers. Silently, Scully ate half of her lunch. Mulder shifted nervously. The three guys next to them exchanged glances.

Scully finished her Coke and dropped the bottle in the bag, but upon doing so, she noticed a folded piece of paper, now resting underneath the glass bottle. She looked up at Mulder, but he was concentrated on peeling the sticker off his apple. Then she glanced around the table before reaching into the bag and grabbing the note.

Scully opened it in her lap, underneath the table. It simply read, "I'm sorry." Scully coughed, trying to hide the tears that were ominously welling up in her eyes. Mulder, who'd glanced up as soon as she coughed, dumped the rest of his lunch in the bag and gathered his things and hers before standing up. He leaned down and whispered "Let's go somewhere else," before taking her hand in his. Instead of leading her, like he did into the cafeteria, he walked by her side, his arm around her waist.

Scully, unable to keep the tears at bay, began crying. "Shh, it's okay. Just wait a second," he soothed as he tried to find the right key to open up the old hallway. Finally, he pushed the old wooden door opened and ushered her inside. He turned around, trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness. Before he even realized that she was standing right in front of him, Scully enveloped him in a hug, burying her face in his chest. Mulder wrapped his arms around her waist. 

"I should have told you before. I..just..didn't exactly know how to broach the subject. I know this is a lot to deal with. And if you don't want to deal with this, that's okay. I would completely understand if you- "

Scully interrupted him, "If I what? If I broke up with you because your father is…is…" She couldn't bring herself to say it. She waved her hand to illustrate her point. "I'd never break up with you for something that was totally out of your hands. I just don't like the fact that- " she broke into tears "- he's so horrible to you."

"No, no," Mulder soothed, rocking her from side to side, "I'm okay."

Scully pulled out of his embrace, never letting go of his hands, she pulled him further down the hallway, where light poured from the windows above the doors leading to the various classrooms. There, she dropped his hands and, with an unsteady hand, shifted his shaggy hair away from his forehead. Mulder backed away from her touch.

"Please, Mulder, I just want to see it," Scully pleaded.

"No, it's- " Mulder protested.

Scully shook her head, cutting him off. She was not going to listen to his protests. She reached for his hair again, this time with a steady hand. Scully could not help but gasp as she saw the gash across the left half of his forehead. Gently, she pulled his hair back further to see how far deep into the hairline it went back. The gash, now on top of a swollen black-and-blue goose egg on his forehead, was bloody and fiercely red around the edges.

"You need stitches."

"It looks worse than it feels," Mulder offered.

"Oh, Mulder."

Scully collapsed against the wall, sinking to the floor. She wrapped her arms around her knees, pulling them to her chest. Mulder, unsure of what to do, squatted before her, watching her face. She rested her head against her arms, on top of her bent knees. Mulder ran his fingers through her straight, auburn hair as it fanned out over both sides of her.

After a few moments, She lifted her head and wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry," she said, clearing her throat. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "You shouldn't be consoling me. I should be the one comforting you."

"Oh, Scully," he laughed as he sat next to her against the wall. "You've had to deal with all of this in a matter of minutes. I should've warned you. I've grown accustomed to this."

Scully sniffled and rested her head on Mulder's shoulder.

Mulder wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. "And anyway," he continued, "I'm happy. It's easier to deal with my dad when I can come to you. I hope you understand how important you are to me. And how grateful I am for you." He kissed her hair.

"You're welcome, Mulder."

X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X 

Okay, guys, Mulder's last little paragraph was as close to an 'I love you' as I could put into this chapter. I wanted SO BAD for them to say that, but it would've been silly. After all, they're in high school and have been dating for, what, two weeks! But you know…

Please review, it makes me happy.

Theresa


	9. Reciprocating the Favor

Chapter Nine: Reciprocating the Favor

"Please, Mulder, just go to the hospital! If you don't, you'll have a huge scar," Scully pleaded with him as they walked out of school later that afternoon."

"It's fine, really. And besides," Mulder continued in a quieter voice, "I don't want to have to answer any questions. 

"But what if it becomes infected?" she offered.

Mulder shook his head.

"Wait! Isn't there a free clinic around here somewhere?" Scully asked. "They don't ask questions."

Mulder groaned.

"There is! Where is it?"

Resigned, Mulder agreed to go. He turned left out of the school parking lot, towards the free clinic.

The receptionist, a bright, cheery woman in her early fifties, told Mulder to head down the hall to the second room on his left. Scully sat down in the waiting room with her French book to study while the volunteer doctor bandaged his wounds.

Mulder sat on the butcher paper-covered examination table in the sterile room, swinging his feet nervously. Minutes later, a doctor came in with a smile on his face.

"Good afternoon," he greeted his anxious patient. "What seems to be the problem?"

Mulder lifted his hair out of his face, revealing his bruised and swollen forehead.

"Wow, you really did a number to your head!" the doctor exclaimed. "You'll be needing stitches."

Mulder cringed.

The elderly doctor patted his knee, "Don't worry. It won't hurt nearly as much as this wound did. "It'll only take a few moments," the doctor said as he prepared the needle and surgical thread.

As the man began stitching Mulder's wound, Mulder let his eyes wander around the room, trying to keep his focus off his head.

"Is that your girlfriend in the waiting room…the redhead?" the doctor asked.

"Uh-huh," Mulder replied, trying not to move.

"She's a pretty young woman," the doctor continued.

"I know. She's wonderful," Mulder said, matter-of-factly.

"Did she make you come to the clinic?"

"Yeah."

The doctor finished the stitch and cut the extra thread. "You're lucky she did. It looks like you have an infection brewing. Can you afford prescriptions? If you can't we can compensate."

"No, no. It's fine. I can pay for it," Mulder replied.

"Okay then," the doctor said as he scribbled on his notepad, "take this prescription to Becky's Drug Store on the corner of third and Fairfield Avenue. Tell her Dr. Scott sent you; she'll give you a discount. Apply this ointment three times daily for eight days. After eight days, come back and I'll remove the stitches and write you a prescription for another kind of ointment."

"Thank you, sir," Mulder stood up, shaking the old man's hand.

"If," the doctor said, stopping Mulder as he was out the door, "you ever need any more medical attention, you know where we are."

Mulder nodded and gave him a small smile. As he entered the waiting room, Scully closed her textbook and stood. "How'd you do?"

"Eight stitches," Mulder said. "He gave me a prescription. Do you mind if we pick it up before we go home?"

Scully shook her head. "No problem." As they walked to his car, Mulder began feeling sick. Scully did not notice how he paled until his stuck his car keys out in front of her. She grabbed them, concerned.

"You okay?"

Mulder shook his head. Scully opened the passenger door and made sure he sat down without bumping his head. She ran around to the driver's seat, a little anxious. She'd only ever driven her Toyota, which was a lot smaller than his full-size Chevrolet. She drove down Fairfield Avenue, turning left onto 3rd Street and into the parking lot adjacent to the pharmacy. She turned off the ignition and shifted in the seat until she was facing Mulder. 

"What's the matter?"

"I…I feel so funny."

A piteous smile formed on Scully's lips. "Mulder, have you ever had stitches before?"

Mulder shook his head. Scully laughed.

"You just feel queasy because of the stitches. I thought you said you liked all that biology stuff," Scully mused.

"Just as long as I'm not the one being dissected," Mulder murmured.

"I'll go get the prescription. Don't get out of the car 'cause if you stand up you're liable to pass out. That's what happened to Charlie when he had to have his finger sewn. You haven't eaten anything since lunch, which I interrupted. I'll go buy you a soda and a candy bar. Oh! I need the prescription."

Mulder handed her the white slip of paper and a handful of crumpled bills. Scully entered the drug store and grabbed a Coke and a Mars Bar for Mulder while the lady found the ointment. The lady rung up Scully's purchase, "That'll be twenty-six seventy-four."

"Oh! I'm supposed to tell you Dr. Scott sent me," Scully exclaimed. "Sorry!"

"No problem, child," the lady smiled. "Okay, now it's seventeen twenty-two."

Scully handed her two ten-dollar bills and a quarter and waited for her change. She thanked the lady before returning to Mulder's car. She found Mulder resting his head against the cool window.

"Here, eat this," Scully thrusted the soda and candy into Mulder's hand. Scully drove in silence, glancing over at Mulder to make sure he was eating. When he had finished, she reached over for his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Mulder smiled and held onto her hand as she tried to pull it back. She drove the rest of the way one handed.

Scully pulled his car into his driveway after noting that Mr. Mulder's car was no where to be found. She guided him to his front door and used his keys to let them both into the house. He was walking steadier than earlier as she led him into his bedroom. 

She had never been in his room before. She flicked on the light switch as she looked around the room. It was messy and dark, even with the light on. Scully tossed a pair of his jeans that were sitting on his bed onto his desk chair and eased Mulder into his bed. She pulled the blankets from the foot of the bed over him. She motioned for him to sit up.

"I'm gonna put your medicine on before I leave."

"Scully, don't leave, please?"

"You have to get your rest. You can sleep off your headache and queasiness. Here, take this aspirin, okay?"

Mulder obliged and sat ready to let her put the ointment on his wound. Scully sat on the side of his bed, one leg curled under her, the other foot dangling down the side of the mattress. Gently, Scully lifted his hair away from the gash after unscrewing the cap off the tube of ointment. She concentrated on his cut as she dabbed the sticky medicine on his head. After she was done, Scully sat back and viewed her work.

"Starting tomorrow, once in the morning, once after school, and once before you go to bed, okay?"

"Yes, Doctor," Mulder smiled, feigning obedience.

Scully took his hand in hers, "You okay?"

Mulder nodded. Scully leaned in and gently kissed him. Mulder returned the gesture, deepening the kiss. His hand moved to the back of her head, his fingers becoming entangled in her hair. Scully groaned as he wrapped his other arm around her waist, pulling her closer. Scully pulled away, knowing he needed sleep, but not being able to resist another quick kiss.

Mulder smiled, "Much better."

Scully returned the smile, "Okay, now I really have to go. You take care of yourself." Scully hugged him before turning to leave.

"Wait!" Mulder called Scully back to him, "You don't have any way to get home. Here," he tossed his car keys back to her, "Take my car. I won't need it until tomorrow."

Scully tossed the keys onto his dresser, "No, I'll cut through the yards. It's not a long walk. Oh, and Mulder," her tone became serious, "if anything…happens, you call me, okay? It doesn't matter what time, okay?"

Mulder nodded. "I'll be fine."

Scully gave him a small smile before letting herself out.

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A/N: Don't be harsh, it's just a filler chapter. More interesting stuff to come!


	10. Our Attic

Chapter Ten: Our Attic  
  
A week had passed since Mulder's visit to the free clinic. No other "incidents" had occurred during the past seven days, mostly due to the fact that Mr. Mulder had been away on business for five of those days.  
  
That afternoon, Mulder and Scully returned to the Mulder family residence, with a quick detour to the drugstore to fill Mulder's second prescription. On the way home, Mulder noticed that an unsettled silence loomed about Scully. He nervously glanced at her before returning his eyes to the road.  
  
Neither spoke as they exited the car and ascended the porch stairs to the front door. Then, as Mulder was fishing out the house key from the other dozen jammed onto his key ring, Scully, as nonchalantly as she could manage, broke the silence.  
  
"So, isn't your father returning from his business trip this afternoon?" Scully made a point not to refer to William Mulder as Mulder's dad, for, as she had explained to Mulder earlier that week, William Mulder's parental relationship with Mulder did not extend beyond genetic barriers.  
  
Mulder looked a Scully a moment, sizing her up. Scully prayed that her inquiry did not sound as desperate and as anxious as it really was. She forced herself not to look away as Mulder studied her eyes.  
  
"Yeah. Scully, are you okay?"  
  
"Mm-hmm," Scully nodded, "I'm fine."  
  
Mulder continued to stare at her. "Are you sure?"  
  
Scully laughed, albeit nervously, "Yes, I'm sure."  
  
Mulder let the matter go and ushered her into the house before closing the front door behind them. He tossed his backpack where Scully had gently placed hers on the floor. He hollered from the kitchen asking her if she wanted their usual. At Scully's confirmation, he returned with two sodas and plopped down on the sofa next to a stiff-backed Scully.  
  
"Scully, what's wrong?"  
  
Scully was staring at a nameless spot on the wall. She slowly shifted her glance over to Mulder. "I...uh. Well," Scully started again, "your father. It's just..."  
  
Mulder picked up on Scully's apprehension. He took her hand in his, resting both in his lap. "Do you want to go over to your house?"  
  
Scully shook her head, "My house is too open. There's no privacy. But do you think we could study somewhere farther away from the kitchen door? You know, in case he comes home early?"  
  
Mulder nodded and pulled himself and her off the couch, leading her once again up the attic stairs, their hands still joined.  
  
"No one ever comes up here. Sam and I used to when my parents fought, but that's it."  
  
Scully dropped her backpack on the dusty floor and walked around the length of attic. She had more time to study her surroundings than the last time she was up here. The far end of the attic, opposite the corner in which she hid a mere week ago, had a corresponding window that looked over the backyard. Mulder watched her.  
  
"Do you feel safer up here?" Scully nodded. "Which part do you like the best?"  
  
"This back corner. When you first come up the attic stairs, you can't see this corner."  
  
Mulder smiled and walked to the opposite corner. He pulled an old mattress out from its place leaning against old boxes and dragged it across the length of the attic. "We can use this to sit on. Sorry that we don't have a couch or something up here."  
  
Scully shook her head at his apology, "That'll do fine." A beat. "Hey Mulder, do you thing we could always come up here? I mean, even when your father is away?"  
  
Mulder let the mattress fall at Scully's feet, kicking it into place. "Yeah, but why?"  
  
Scully shrugged with an embarrassed smile on her face, "It's just...I know it's silly, but it's like our own little secret, our own place, ya know?"  
  
Mulder replied with a small laugh, "It's not silly. And we can, if you want."  
  
They silently agreed to get to work, already behind on their homework. The two students sat side-by-side on the mattress, Scully pleasantly wedged between her boyfriend and the window. She knew already that this would become a common scene in their lives.  
  
Weeks went by, and Mulder and Scully's Attic, as it came to be referred to as, grew in belongings. The first week, Scully returned from her house with a huge moving box with "Dana" written across it in permanent marker. "What's that?" Mulder asked with a laugh, taking the surprisingly light albeit awkward box from Scully's clutches.  
  
"Bedding. And lots of throw pillows. I have entirely too many throw pillows, and I'm always making Mom buy me more. Now I have ridiculously too many for my bed. And an old sheet set and one of my quilts. I figured it would brighten up the attic. But if you don't like them("  
  
Mulder waved his hand, "I'm sure they're lovely. Do you want to put them on now?" Scully nodded.  
  
They climbed the creaky steps up to the attic, skipping the loud ones automatically.  
  
The second week, as Scully poured over her biology textbook, Mulder rummaged through the furniture stored in the attic. He emerged with an old peach crate, which he deliberately placed on its end next to the mattress. It served as a table.  
  
Scully, curiously perusing the attic's treasures, had come across a tall, wooden bookshelf. Mulder had helped her drag it to the wall next to the bed. They settled it at a ninety-degree angle with the wall, and it served as both a bookshelf and a barrier to further hide the nook.  
  
Sometime between the third and fourth week, Mulder showed Scully a wooden ladder he found hung up on the wall in the garage.  
  
"We can keep it up here when we're here and in the flowers outside when we're not, so if you want to come over and, like, my dad's home, you don't have to mess with him."  
  
Scully smiled and kissed him in return.  
  
All in all, the attic did not look too shabby.  
  
Semester finals had been absolutely horrible. The whole student body was relieved to be on break for Christmas holidays. The teachers had been nice enough not to assign any projects over the vacation. Today was the last day of finals, so school let out early(at eleven thirty instead of three fifteen.  
  
As soon as they had returned from school, Mulder and Scully had retreated to the Attic. Both Mulder and Scully flung books and papers unceremoniously off the mattress and onto the floor, where the school supplies would remain for the next three weeks. Mulder collapsed onto the mattress, his limbs spread in a look of defeat. Scully took off her sneakers and grabbed the quilt from its resting-place in an old cardboard box before curling up next to Mulder.  
  
She spread the quilt out as best as she could without having to exert any actual effort. She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes.  
  
"How was your French exam?" Mulder asked.  
  
"I hate French. I hate France," Scully mumbled into his chest.  
  
Mulder chuckled and smoothed her hair. "I'm sure you did wonderful."  
  
Scully replied, "What about you, how was English?"  
  
"It went really well. I must've written twenty pages for those essays. She gave us back our research papers, too."  
  
"Hmm? What was it on, again?"  
  
"I did a character analysis of Heathcliff in Bronte's Wuthering Heights. I showed that through his relationship with Catherine his..."  
  
Scully drifted into an exhausted slumber as Mulder explained the purpose of his paper. His calming voice and the fact that he kept running his fingers through her hair lulled her to sleep.  
  
It took a few minutes for Mulder to realize that Scully was no longer awake. He laughed to himself at the fact that he had droned on about some project and had bored her to sleep. He reached around to the makeshift table and grabbed the book he was currently reading, Kafka's Metamorphosis, and picked up where he had left off earlier that week.  
  
About ninety minutes later, Scully shifted and eventually escaped the clutches of sleep. As she pulled away from Mulder, he closed his book and smiled at her.  
  
"Am I that boring?" he asked teasingly.  
  
Scully ran her hand through her hair and then over her face, "How long have I been asleep?"  
  
Mulder looked at his watch, "Over an hour and a half."  
  
"Oh, shit! We have to be at my house, like fifteen minutes ago," Scully cursed. If she and Mulder were late, her mom would ask questions later.  
  
As if on cue, the telephone rang. "That's my mom. We should go." Scully scrambled with her tennis shoes as Mulder grabbed both of their coats.  
  
"Shouldn't we answer the telephone?" Mulder asked.  
  
Scully shook her head, "Let her think we already left."  
  
They dashed out the door and on to the Scully residence.  
  
As they hurried up the icy sidewalk to the front door, Scully turned to Mulder, "Do I look like I've been sleeping?"  
  
Mulder shook his head. "Nope, you look fine."  
  
Maggie Scully hurried to the door when she heard it open, "Fox! It's so nice to see you again! It seems like Dana here is keeping you all to herself."  
  
Mulder laughed, "Actually, I think it is I who has been keeping Dana to myself."  
  
Scully looked uncomfortable, as most girls are when their mothers are sizing up the boyfriends. "Who's here?"  
  
Maggie laughed, "Everybody's here. You two are the last ones. Charlie and his friends are in the family room, Missy and hers are in the upstairs living room, and your father is in the kitchen," she finished with a smile.  
  
Scully's eyes lit up, "Daddy's home! He wasn't supposed to get back until next week."  
  
"Do I hear my Starbuck?" a booming voice rounded the corner.  
  
Scully ran into her father's arms, "How'd you come back early?"  
  
"I told my crew I had to come see my Starbuck. Then, I come home to find she's not here!"  
  
"Sorry, Daddy, we lost track of time," Dana smiled at her father's playful reprimands.  
  
"We?"  
  
Mulder smiled nervously as Scully pulled him over to where she and her father stood before dropping his hand. "Daddy, this is Fox Mulder, and Fox, this is Captain William Scully."  
  
"Ahh! The ever-Elusive Fox I've been hearing so much about. It's nice to meet you at last,"  
  
"Nice to meet you too, err..." Mulder trailed off, not knowing what he should call him.  
  
"Mr. Scully is fine," Mr. Scully smiled.  
  
"Mr. Scully," Mulder finished as he shook the captain's hand.  
  
"Firm handshake, I like that," Mr. Scully obviously approved of her daughter's taste. As simple as that, Mulder was officially accepted into the Scully family.  
  
"Mom, when are we eating?" Scully asked, turning to Maggie.  
  
"In about forty-five minutes," Maggie replied.  
  
"Can Fox and I go upstairs until then?" Dana asked.  
  
Maggie nodded her approval as Scully and Mulder turned to head up the stairs.  
  
Just as they had started their ascent, William Mulder, in a voice purposely loud enough for Dana to hear, "My Starbuck's growing up on me, Maggie. She'd rather be with her boyfriend than her old Ahab."  
  
Scully laughed and ran down the stairs to her father, "Daddy, you know I love you."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Mr. Scully replied playfully.  
  
"I do!"  
  
Mr. Scully kissed his daughter on the cheek, "Off with you! Don't leave Elusive Fox by himself!"  
  
Scully smiled and did not hesitate to return to Mulder's side. Once upstairs, they had decided to bypass the noise coming from the upstairs living room and snuck into Dana's bedroom. Scully made sure to leave her door opened a crack and turned to find Mulder looking around her room. At this moment, he was reading the titles on her bookshelf.  
  
Scully stood behind him and cleared her throat. "Would you rather read or..." she trailed off.  
  
Mulder pretended to ponder the choices and Scully playfully dropped her jaw. Mulder seized the opportunity and captured her open mouth with his. Still entwined, Mulder backed up to the overstuffed, oversized easy chair that sat in the corner of the room, pulling Scully on top of him, emitting a smothered 'oomph' from her.  
  
Mulder's hands trailed up and down her back in small, slow patterns. Scully hands found their way into Mulder's hair, her fingers tangled in the chocolate locks. Thirty minutes later, both were in much the same position as Maggie Scully bellowed up the stairs, "Dana!"  
  
Mulder moan his protest as Scully broke away, "Yes, Mom?"  
  
"The roast is taking longer to cook, so it will be later than I had expected. Thirty more minutes, at least. Do you and Fox want something to munch on?"  
  
Meanwhile, Mulder's searching mouth had found the skin on her neck and upper chest, exposed by her V-neck sweater, very enticing. It took all of Scully's willpower to answer her mother in a steady voice.  
  
"No, we can wait," Dana replied, hoping she didn't sound as hoarse to her mother as she did in her own head.  
  
Mulder made his way past her jawline, an up to Dana's ear. "Dana," he whispered equally as hoarse, "I wanted something to munch on." Mulder gently tugged at her earlobe with his teeth before speaking again. "I guess you'll have to do."  
  
Scully moaned before turning swiftly and capturing his mouth with his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. They finally broke apart ten minutes later, out of breath. Mulder rested his forehead against hers. "You are so beautiful, Dana."  
  
Scully looked away, shy.  
  
"No, really. You are absolutely breathtaking."  
  
"Mulder, stop, you'll make me blush."  
  
Mulder complied and kissed the tip of her nose. They sat there for a few moments, not wanting to break the mood with talking. Scully nestled closer to Mulder, repositioning herself so that while she still sat in his lap, her head rested against his shoulder. Mulder tightened his arms around her, his hand traveling lazily up and down her spine.  
  
After a few minutes, Mulder pulled his arm out from behind her back to point to a red patch of skin where her neck met her right shoulder. "You're gonna have a hickey," he teased.  
  
Scully's hand instinctively went to the spot on which his finger rested as she gasped. "Oh, God."  
  
Mulder chuckled.  
  
"It's not funny!" she accused. "How could you?" she asked, although she did not regret that he did.  
  
Mulder kissed her quickly on the lips. "It's little. No one will be able to tell. Besides, how could I not? I needed someone...I mean, something to munch on," he teased.  
  
"Really, do you think it'll be big?"  
  
Mulder shook his head, "No bigger than a dime. Anyway, if you wear your hair down, no one will see it, even if they're looking for it."  
  
Scully smiled, though she was trying to be stern, "Lucky for you." Then she stood. "We should go down and see if they need any help setting the table.  
  
Mulder chuckled.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You might want to brush your hair."  
  
Scully spun around to view her reflection and laughed. She ran the brush through her hair before tossing it in Mulder's lap.  
  
"You don't look so hot yourself."  
  
Mulder feigned insult, "I, my dear lady, always look hot!"  
  
And though he ran the brush through his hair, it did not make that big of a difference. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx  
  
a/n: I am SOO sorry that I haven't updated in a whole damn month! I have had soooo much shit to do with school. Papers, finals, etc. that I've had NO energy to write.  
  
More soon, (or at least sooner than before!)  
  
theresa 


	11. Black and White and Gray

Chapter Eleven: Black and White and Gray 

Dinner with Dana's parents had gone surprisingly well, despite Mulder's unfamiliarity with such a relaxed family setting. As Mr. Scully questioned Mulder throughout dinner, Scully squeezed his hand reassuringly. Everyone escaped alive.

After dinner, Mulder and Scully helped with the dishes before excusing themselves to retreat back to the attic.

"Just a second, I have to get something," Scully said bef

ore she and Mulder left her house.

While he waited for Scully, Mulder walked into the living room to thank Mr. and Mrs. Scully once again for dinner.

"Fox, you are always welcome to dinner," Mrs. Scully said, smiling.

"You ready to go?" Scully asked, touching his arm. Mulder had not realized she had entered the room.

Mulder smiled down at her and nodded. "I'll bring her back by curfew, sir," Mulder promised, turning towards Mr. Scully. Mr. Scully gave him an authoritative nod.

"Bye Mom, Dad. See you later," Scully hollered back into the living room before closing the front door behind her.

Mulder respectively opened and shut the car door for Scully before scurrying around the front of his Chevy before hopping into the car himself.

"It is _freezing_!" Mulder said, rubbing his hands together before starting the ignition.

Scully murmured in agreement.

"Hey Scully?" Mulder broke the silence just as they were turning onto his street.

"Huh?"

"Do you think your dad liked me?" Mulder asked, letting more of his insecurity escape through his tone than he intended to.

Scully smiled reassuringly, "He loved you. You would definitely know if he didn't like you. Besides," Scully laughed, "What's not to love?"

Mulder glanced nervously at her. Scully returned a scared, deer-caught-in-the-headlights-look, not meaning to drop the dreaded L bomb on him.

"I uh…didn't mean it like that…I mean, not to say that…OH!" Scully threw her hands up in nervous frustration.

Mulder reached over and grasped her left hand in his right and ran his thumb over the top of it. "Don't worry about it."

Scully smiled weakly. Even though Mulder's reassurance had been genuine and she had not actually spoken the unspeakable, the sinking feeling did not dissipate.

Mulder tried to lighten the mood. "I am absolutely stuffed. You mom is an absolute genius in the kitchen!"

Scully smiled to herself at Mulder's thinly veiled attempt. "Yep, she's a regular Julia Child."

Mulder got out of the now-parked car and opened Scully's door. Scully grabbed the bag she had grabbed from her closet before stepping out of the Chevy and into the cold night air. Together, they silently walked up to the attic, Mulder's arm casually wrapped around her waist.

Mulder had a mischievous grin on his face as they mounted the stairs. When Scully gave him a questioning glance, he replaced the grin with an innocent smile, only to drop the innocence as she dropped the inquiry.

Scully gently (luckily) placed the bag down next to the bed before Mulder blind-sighted her with a sideways tackle onto the mattress, pinning her down with his body. Scully's suspicious astonishment returned with Mulder's playful gaze.

Mulder lowered his mouth onto hers, his hands on either side of her for support. Scully's mouth involuntarily formed into a smile before opening in invitation. She wrapped her arms around Mulder's neck, pulling him closer. Mulder dropped from his push-up stance to his forearms in response.

Scully suddenly shifted her position and successfully rolled them across the bed. Now she had him pinned down. She pulled away from him triumphantly, smiling down at him. Mulder's fingers danced across the small of her back, drawing invisible lines all over her.

"I win," Scully grinned.

"I was not aware we were playing a game," Mulder teased.

"Oh, but we were. And it appears to me, Mr. Mulder, that you have lost."

"Pray tell, what is your reward for winning?" Mulder replied playfully.

Scully scooped down, capturing his lips with hers. She pulled away, the goofy grin plastered to her face.

"With a prize like that, I'll gladly lose any day," Mulder leered. Scully unsuccessfully attempted to suppress a giggle.

She rolled off of him, preferring to now lie next to him. Mulder pulled her close, kissing her hair. "Scully?"

"Mhmm?"

"I want to give you your Christmas present today...I have to go to Chilmark to visit my grandparents for, well, Hanukah, actually. My dad told me yesterday that we're leaving Saturday."

Scully rolled onto her side, facing him. "But that's in two days," she pouted.

Mulder brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. "I know. I'm sorry. I'll call you."

Scully smiled, "I have your Christmas present, too. Who gives which first?"

Mulder sat up. "You give me mine, first, because your present is more, um, needy, I think," Mulder said ambiguously.

Scully smiled, "I'm confused. But lemme get your present..." She dug through the bag she brought with her, finally sitting up with a huge, colorfully wrapped box. "I hope you like it."

Mulder quickly kissed her. "I already do."

They smiled at each other for a moment. "Okay, okay, now open it!" Scully exclaimed.

Mulder laughed as he started to rip the wrapping paper off the box before opening the box. Inside the box, a thin layer of tissue paper covered what looked like a T-shirt. Mulder glanced at Scully before pulling the shirt out.

"It's a New York Knicks T-shirt," Scully explained as he unfolded it.

"Scully, we said we weren't going to spend a lot of money on each other," Mulder admonished with a smile in his eyes.

"I know, but I kind of cheated. I am just replacing the Knicks T-shirt I borrowed from you a couple weeks ago."

Mulder cocked his head to the side, urging her to go on.

"I couldn't bring myself to give it back to you. So, I still have it," Scully admitted with a laugh, which Mulder joined in.

"I love it Scully. Well, maybe not so much the T-shirt as the idea of you wearing nothing but my shirt for bed," he grinned.

Scully opened her mouth in protest, but she closed it quickly as she realized that what he said was true. Mulder laughed.

"Oh, there's something else!" Scully exclaimed, "It's at the bottom of the box."

Mulder fished through the tissue paper to pull out a picture frame. It was a series of six wallet-size photos. Upon closer inspection, Mulder saw that the pictures were the kind you take in the photo booths at the mall. All of the black and white pictures were of Mulder and Scully. The first one showed the two of them looking at each other, smiling. The second picture was of them sticking their tongues out at the camera. The third was of Mulder licking her cheek, her mouth in a small "o," feigning shock. The fourth picture caught the two of them laughing at their own silliness, Mulder resting his forehead against the side of hers. The fifth showed the two of them smiling into the camera. The final picture was of them kissing, eyes closed, mouths partially open.

Mulder looked up at Scully, who awaited his reaction. "That was our second kiss," she pointed to the last picture.

"Wow, Scully, Dana, this is...I love it. It's perfect," Mulder said softly.

"You really like it?" she asked.

Mulder nodded, "Very much. Thank you."

Scully smiled. A beat. "Okay! What about my present?"

Mulder jumped up, "I almost forgot! It's in my room, I'll be right back."

Scully waited patiently, falling back against the pillows. Mulder returned to the attic, but he stopped before he came into her view.

"Okay, Scully, I couldn't exactly wrap this present, so you have to close your eyes for this one, okay?"

She sat up. "Okay, eyes are closed."

Mulder walked over to the bed and sat next to her. "This is, um, alive, so hold out your hands, but be gentle."

Scully hesitated. "Mulderrrr," she warned.

"Do you trust me, Scully?" Mulder asked.

"Infinitely," she replied as she obediently held out her hands. He placed her present in her hands as she opened her eyes.

She let out a sigh. "Mulder, what is this?"

"What's it look like, Scully?" he asked, grinning like an idiot.

"A bowl."

"Yep," he said, still grinning.

"Alive?"

"Well, this is the first part. You have to guess the second part."

Scully gave him 'the look.' "What's a bowl gonna tell me about my gift?"

"Com'on Scully, where's your sense of adventure? You said you trusted me," Mulder pouted.

"I do. Fine. Umm, do I get to ask questions?"

"Three 'yes or no' questions. And it is alive."

"Is it furry?"

"Yes."

"Small enough to fit in my hands."

"Yes."

"An indoor animal?" she asked, doubt in her voice.

"Yes."

"Okay...is it...." Scully's eyes lit up, "Oh, Mulder, is it a cat?"

Mulder smiled and walked across the attic to the box he had brought up when Scully wasn't looking. He pulled a tiny, gray tabby kitten out of the box. If Scully were to ever squeal in delight, it would have been at this point. Mulder handed the cat to her, which she cradled like a baby.

"Oh, thank you SO much, Mulder. But I don't think I can keep it. My mom won't let me have it."

"I know. That's why I bought it for you. You can keep it here. In the attic."

Scully gently put the kitten on the floor to observe it's new home and threw her arms around Mulder, "Thank you," she gushed.

Mulder kissed her squarely on the lips, "Merry Christmas, Scully."

"Merry Christmas, Mulder."

* * *

a/n: thank god i have survived the hells of the end of senior year. I'm back! 


	12. Those Girls and Gray Patches

Dana Scully lie lazily across the couch, a quilted afghan barely serving its purpose. Her father sat next to her in his chair reading his newspaper. As he turned the page, Dana threw her book to the other end of the couch in disgust. It seemed that she had called upon Ishmael one too many times in the past week.  
  
Absently, she watched the fire crackle in front of her, though her thoughts were miles away. In fact, they were the same distance between Fairfield and Chilmark. Irony? She knew better.  
  
"What's the matter, Starbuck?" Bill Scully peered around his still-poised newspaper.  
  
"Nothing, Daddy," Dana sulked.  
  
"Don't worry, Saturday will be here before you know it," her father reassured her with a knowing smile before returning to his newspaper.  
  
Dana turned her gaze to the hardwood floor. This was definitely not good. She had become one of Those Girls.  
  
Those Girls always need to have a boyfriend, no matter what. Whenever the aforementioned Girl is unable to be in the near vicinity of her Boyfriend, her life is at a standstill. Those Girls seem to make a point of letting their lives revolve around their boyfriends. The sun rises and sets on Boyfriends.  
  
Her idle thoughts too much to bear, Dana leapt from the couch in search of something—anything—to bide her time. She was desperate.  
  
"Dad, I'm going on a walk!" she yelled through the kitchen before slipping out of the back door. She ran through the backyard and down two blocks before turning on Mulder's street.  
  
Once on the side of his house, she checked for anyone visible. Then, as quietly as possible, she lifted the old ladder from beneath the shrubs and positioned it right under the attic window. Carefully, she climbed the two- and-a-half stories to the attic and pried open the window. She hoisted herself into the drafty room and dragged the ladder after her. A small mew greeted Dana, causing her to jump in surprise.  
  
Laughing at her own skittishness, she bent down and scooped up her cat. "Hey baby," she crooned into the little animal's face, only to be rewarded with a lazy yawn. "We have to think of a name for you, don't we?"  
  
She put the cat back on the floor and walked over to the cat's corner of the attic. She poured a scoopful of food into his half-empty bowl and took the water bowl downstairs to refill it. Even though she knew that nobody was home—the whole family went to Chilmark—she still only used those steps that were safe. Every day that week, she had come to take care of her Christmas present. She had wanted to bring the cat to her house, if only for this week, because she felt guilty about leaving a small kitten in a musty attic by himself for that long. Carefully, Dana had half-mentioned adopting a cat to gauge her mother's reaction, but her mother left no room for argument. A cat was completely out of the question as far as her mother was concerned. Margaret did not even offer an excuse or alternative. Dana quickly changed subjects, not wanting to deal with an angry mother, and resolved to let the cat stay in the attic.  
  
She returned to the attic and sat on the mattress to watch the cat play. It was an awfully cute kitten, she thought, though she was pretty sure that all kittens were pretty. Of course, it being hers made it all the more wonderful. Her life had changed dramatically since she moved to Fairfield. Actually, she was relieved that her father had decided Connecticut of all places to settle down in—well, settle down in the Navy's terms, at least.  
  
Mulder. As hard as she tried not to think about him, her thoughts always drifted back to her boyfriend. She felt rather ashamed about that, you know, having to become one of Those Girls, but she consoled herself by rationalizing that Those Girls never had such a perfect boyfriend. Therefore, she had more of a right to act as she did.  
  
In reality, though, she was acting perfectly normal. Without her only social life, Dana became bored. She wished that she had become closer with Mulder's other friends, the ones they went to the movies with, but she thought that she would always only be "Fox's Girlfriend" to them.  
  
"Fox's Girlfriend"  
  
"One of Those Girls"  
  
Whatever happened to "Dana Scully: Misanthrope Extraordinaire"? She must not have unpacked her after this move.  
  
Irritated that she felt that she had lost part of herself, she flung herself back onto the pillows. As her head hit the pillow, a crinkling noise followed. Figuring that Mulder had left a stray piece of wrapping paper on the bed, she shoved her hand under the bedding and pulled it out. It turned out, though, to be a note. From Mulder. Relieved to have any contact with him, she sat up and tore the envelope, tossing it off the mattress.  
  
_My Scully,  
__I don't even know if you will find this before Saturday, but I felt that I should write you in case you did. It goes without saying that I miss you, and that I can't wait to come home again. I hope you aren't having too much fun without me, but I also hope you don't miss me too much.  
  
I hope the cat suffices to keeping you company in the attic. We really should name him, it's not right not to be called something.  
  
I really liked my Christmas presents; the pictures sit on my nightstand. I don't know if I've ever told you how much you mean to me. Sometimes it's just easier to write my feelings instead of telling you face-to-face because they're so real. I want you to know that I think of you all the time, and count my lucky stars that I found you. You are so beautiful, inside and out, and your intelligence is one to be rivaled. I can already recognize how deep our relationship is, and I can only imagine how deep it will become in the future.  
  
What a blessing you've been. Don't ever think I don't notice.  
  
Yours, Mulder  
_  
Scully laughed as she sniffled. He always knew just what to say. Or write. She carefully folded the note back up and placed it on the makeshift table. She pulled her knees to her chest as she sat up, resting her chin on them, the thoughtful smile brightening her face.  
  
After the letter, she lost that sense of failure that had left her brooding before. She realized that the absence of her misanthropy was filled only because of him. That he had peeled away the cold layer to reveal a more complete Dana. That thought scared her, too, though. That he made her more complete. She tried to rationalize that it was not so much Mulder that made her more complete, but the companionship of a kindred spirit. She knew better.  
  
Slowly, she kissed her cat and left the attic by way of the window, somehow reassured that everything would be okay. As she weaved through the backyard to her house, the last line of the theme song to The Mary Tyler Moore Show played in her head, and she laughed at her own silliness.  
  
The next few days seemed to fly, as she purposefully kept busy. She went shopping with her mother and Missy in Hartford, a long-standing tradition among the Scully women. The best sales occurred right after Christmas. Saturday, she spent the whole day with Bill Scully. After all, he was only on leave until Wednesday. She even took him to the coffee shop, where now she too was a regular, greeted by name and a "Do you want your usual?" She laughed at the surprised look her father tossed her way.  
  
They sat down on a brown upholstered couch near the window, with a view of the gently falling snow. Sophie brought them their order and Dana smiled as Sophie winked. "You've grown up a lot, Starbuck, since we moved here," Bill said after Sophie returned to the kitchen.  
  
Dana just smiled, not quite knowing where the conversation was turning. She really did not want an "It's Important to Save Yourself" speech from her father of all people. Too much discomfort, talking to her dad about sex.  
  
"Do you like it here?" Bill asked over the rim of his coffee.  
  
"Yes, Daddy. I really do," Dana said as she let out a relieved sigh.  
  
"So, would you like to stay here, as we had planned?"  
  
"Until I graduate? Yeah," she replied.  
  
Her father smiled.  
  
"Why do you ask?" she queried. "Are we moving again?" Her voice rose in pitch.  
  
Bill shook his head vigorously. "No, no. No worry of that. I just want to make sure that you're settled here. You always did take the moves the hardest."  
  
Dana straightened her back, "No, I didn't."  
  
Bill Scully chuckled at his daughter's resentment of any weakness. He knew better and let it drop. "Okay, okay. Just making sure."  
  
The conversation took an inevitable turn towards the nautical. Bill enthralled his daughter with his most recent escapades. About how the newest recruit spent his first time aboard the ship as an officer with half of his body bent over the side of the boat.  
  
"It was the worst case of seasickness I've seen in fifteen years!" Bill finished. At this point, he glanced at the empty mugs and his watch. "Looks like it's about time we head on home, Starbuck. Mom'll have dinner in the oven, and isn't that boyfriend of yours due back today?"  
  
Dana stood with her father; she had not thought of Mulder too much since this morning. She beamed, "Yep. He said sometime tonight, but he wasn't sure when."  
  
Bill smiled as he held the door for his daughter. He was proud of her.  
  
Dinner went by quickly, as did the night spent in front of the television. Dana, along with her mother and sister, were watching reruns of Rhoda while Bill sat in his chair, flipping through the Moby Dick Dana had discarded days before. Just as the show returned from a commercial break, Bill took a cigar out of its box and clipped it before fishing his lighter out of his shirt pocket.  
  
"Bill, must you do that in the house?! That awful smell stays in the upholstery for days!" Maggie admonished.  
  
"Would you rather have me turn into an icicle outside?" he countered as he defiantly pushed the red button on his lighter, the flame popping out immediately.  
  
The phone rang, though Dana thought she was the only one to notice amidst the tension. "I'll get it!" She hopped off the couch and ran into the kitchen.  
  
"Now who would be calling at this hour?" Maggie asked as the clock chimed half-past nine.  
  
"It's Saturday," Missy explained. "It must be Fooox," she drawled out his name into three syllables.  
  
"Missy," Bill growled around the cigar that filled the room with the offending odor.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Dana, though, was oblivious to the conversation in the living room. As soon as she picked up the phone off its cradle, she leaned against the wall. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, baby," a honey-over-gravel voice floated through the receiver. "I missed you."  
  
"I missed you, too. Did you have fun on your trip?"  
  
"It was okay. Boring stuff, though. Do you want to come over?"  
  
"Now? It's nine thirty."  
  
"Oh that's right," Mulder playfully smiled into the receiver, "you're supposed to meet your other boyfriend at ten."  
  
"Mulder, stop," she giggled into her phone. Giggled? Those Girls.  
  
"So, wanna come over?" he repeated his query.  
  
"Hold on, lemme ask my parents. It's kind of late, ya know," she conceded, though it really was not much of a concession. She wanted to see him as much as he her.  
  
She gently placed the receiver on the counter and strolled into the living room. "Ahab," she asked, "Do you think I could go over to Fox's house. He and his parents just got home."  
  
"It's late, dear," her mother chided, nodding towards the clock.  
  
Dana turned away from her mother, "Please, Daddy?"  
  
"All right, Starbuck. But you must be hope at eleven thirty, no excuses."  
  
"Dad! That's thirty minutes later that my curfew!" Missy pouted. Dana shot her a look.  
  
"It's just for tonight. I'm not setting a precedent," their father pointedly noted. "Missy, you've walked through that door much later than eleven thirty, curfew or no," he warned her.  
  
Missy shrugged it off. Dana took the keys from his father and made a mad dash to the car. "Drive carefully!" Maggie hollered after her.  
  
"I will!" Dana promised as she shut the door behind her.  
  
She threw the car into park in front of Mulder's next door neighbor's house, just in case his parents became suspicious, though she doubted they cared anything about their son. Bill and Teena disgusted her.  
  
She hopped out of the car, and jogged towards the bush that hid the ladder. Mulder was already leaning against the house. Immediately, she increased her speed and he met her halfway, pulling her close to him in a strong embrace. Scully stretches her neck to kiss him. The kiss expressed their emotions in a way words could never. She was happy, giddy even, at his return. Mulder was relieved to be able to hold her against him, seriously missing her support as he faced a week with his family alone. Mulder rested his forehead against Scully's, his hands now clinging to her biceps. "I got your letter," Scully broke the silence, leaning back to make eye contact with him. "Thank you."  
  
Mulder smiled a small, quick smile. "You're welcome. You want to go upstairs?"  
  
Scully nodded and he wrapped his arm around her waist, underneath her coat. She scooted towards his embrace. They bypassed the ladder and walked through the front door, neither of them caring if his parents noticed. She followed him through the darkened house, down the hall, and up the stairs to their attic. It was drafty, but otherwise familiar. The cat greeted their entrance.  
  
"Hey, Cat," Mulder greeted it with a small pat on its head. "Do you have a name for him yet?" Mulder asked Scully as she picked up her pet.  
  
"Yep, I think so," she responded as she walked towards the mattress. Mulder followed her. She placed the cat on the bed and took off her coat before sinking next to the cat, pulling the blankets over her body.  
  
"Well?" Mulder asked as he sat beside her. "What is it?"  
  
"Spooky," she responded, with a smile.  
  
Mulder scrunched his face in amused confusion. "What kind of name is that?"  
  
"Well, he's kind of like a ghost, you know, because he lives in a dusty attic. I didn't want to call him Casper or anything because he doesn't look like a Casper. Plus, he's always sneaking up on me, all spooky. Get it?"  
  
Mulder smiled, "Then Spooky it is."  
  
Scully kissed his cheek then playfully rubbed his stubble. "So, how was your trip?"  
  
"Nothing exciting. My grandfather is exactly like Dad, just ten times worse. I like Grandma Mulder, though. She was always incredibly kind. A doting old lady."  
  
Scully smiled into his chest as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.  
  
"I told her about you," Mulder murmured.  
  
Scully lifted her head, "Really? What did you tell her?"  
  
"That I had this beautiful, wonderful girlfriend who kept me in line, and that she is the best thing that's happened to me," he replied.  
  
"What did she say?"  
  
"She became all excited. Actually, I had told her a while ago, after you and I first, well, became a couple. She calls me every Sunday. Has for years. Anyway, I guess she remembered me telling her about you because when I arrived last Saturday she had a Chanukah present all ready for me to bring home to you. It's in that box," Mulder motioned to a rather large box that sat next to Scully's side of the bed.  
  
"Awww, Mulder, that is so sweet!" Scully could not help but gush. "She shouldn't have! What is it?"  
  
"Go ahead and open it," Mulder replied as he turned on the lamp to his right. Scully smiled before sitting up and placing the box in her lap. Carefully, she tore away its wrapping and took off the lid.  
  
She lifted back the tissue paper and gasped. "Mulder, it's...beautiful," she whispered as she pulled a large quilt out of its box.  
  
"I knew you'd like it," Mulder smiled.  
  
She stood up and spread the quilt on the bed, in all of its glory. She carefully admired each piece of patchwork. The pattern was simple, just tiny one square inch pieces sewn together, but it was the colors that made it brilliant. Brilliant jewel toned colors in perfect shades of magenta, jade, cerulean, crimson, gold, and violet made the blanket a kaleidoscopic work of art. Off at the bottom right corner stood a singular, out-casted gray patch.  
  
"Mulder, why's that one different?" Scully asked curiously.  
  
"Granma believed, as did her mother, who taught her to quilt, that she must have one imperfect piece in her quilt, to signify our own imperfections. It's symbolic."  
  
Scully nodded, "It's beautiful."  
  
"She asked me a while ago if you would prefer a patchwork quilt or one of her elaborate designs. I told her patchwork because, too me, you seem more of the type to go against the mainstream, and I thought that maybe you would appreciate the personalization of scraps of fabric. No two are the same. She always made a point never to use two patches from the same type of fabric in one quilt."  
  
Scully leaned down and kissed him, "You definitely made the right choice. Your grandmother is so thoughtful. And you don't know how much it means to me that you told her about me. I'm glad she likes me, even though she never met me."  
  
"Me liking you is enough for her to like you as well. She may come for a visit when the weather gets warmer."  
  
"I want to call her and thank her," Scully decided.  
  
"Well, she's supposed to call tomorrow. Do you want to talk to her then?"  
  
Scully nodded.  
  
"Okay, well then come over around seven tomorrow. That's what time she calls."  
  
It was decided. Mulder and Scully curled up in her new quilt and told each other what had transpired over the past seven days. Scully yawned as she glanced at her watch.  
  
"Oh, Mulder, I have to go. I'm supposed to be home by eleven thirty."  
  
"But Sculleee," he whined, "We still have fifteen minutes.  
  
"I know, I know. But it'll make my parents happy if I come home a little before curfew."  
  
"Okay," Mulder started to fold up the quilt, but Scully's hand stopped him. "Let's leave it up here for tonight, at least. It's still really drafty up here."  
  
Mulder walked her down the stairs and let her out the front door. Just before she turned onto the street towards her car, she turned around, "Oh, I almost forgot. My parents bought you a Christmas present. Come over around lunch time and they'll give it to you. You'll really like it."  
  
"Okay, I will. Sweet dreams, Scully," he replied.  
  
Scully smiled that soft smile that warmed his heart, "Sweet dreams."  
  
Mulder went inside after she drove the car away. He went into the kitchen to fix himself a glass of milk. Grandma had sent him home with two dozen of her homemade cookies.  
  
Scully was almost to the intersection when she saw the car coming head on. It seemed to be accelerating as it approached. With no other alternative, Dana swerved the car sharply to the left, though she hadn't reached the intersection. Her small car squealed into a 180 degree spin. After only turning forty-five degrees, it fishtailed the opposite way as the offending automobile's front right-hand corner made contact with the back right side of Scully's car's trunk, The front of Scully's car accordioned as it wrapped itself around a light pole. The tire tracks that Scully left were S shaped.  
  
"Stay away from what's mine!" the other driver, a woman's voice, yelled.  
  
Scully began to panic, realizing that the driver's intentions were malicious. She tried to get out of the car, but searing pain shot up from her toes to the base of her scull. She knew better than to try to move, for she had obviously suffered back injury. Knowing Mulder was most likely awake and his house was only three houses down, she did the only thing she could in her predicament. She carefully moved her hands from the edge of the steering wheel to its center, pressing with as much force as she dared, hoping the car's horn was loud enough to reach Mulder.  
  
Mulder had heard the horn, as had some of his neighbors. Though the men who emerged from their houses in little more than a bathrobe were much closer to the accident, Mulder arrived before them, running towards her with his heart in this throat.  
  
"Scully!" he yelled as he skidded to a stop next to the driver's window, "Can you hear me? Are you okay?"  
  
Scully choked back tears as well as her mounting panic. "I can't move. I think I broke my back or something."  
  
Mulder took her shaking hands off of the still-blaring horn. "It's okay, it's okay," he cooed, "I'm here."  
  
He turned from his girlfriend to the sleepy neighbors. "Somebody call 911. We need an ambulance."  
  
A small man doning crooked glasses and a worn robe nodded and ran back into his house.  
  
"Mulder, don't leave me," she pleaded. "Please don't leave."


	13. Lamposts and Quarterbacks

Mulder stood in a daze, the red and blue lights moving farther away. He could feel the heat from the crashed car behind him. As the ambulance turned the corner, he awoke from his daze. Turning 180 degrees, he blindly ran through back yards and driveways to the Scully residence. Trying to catch his breath and control the sobs that were about to explode out of him, Mulder banged on the front door. Captain Scully swung the door open, and Mulder tried to explain the situation. He started hyperventilating, the lack of breath and impending tears catching up with him. The older man placed his hands firmly on the younger's shoulders.

"There….was an accident. Scully, Dana…ran into a street light. She…was conscious. Bu- but her….back…may be broken," Mulder let out a shaky breath and rubbed the heels of his hands into his eyes, trying to physically force his fear out of him. "She was taken to the hospital in an ambulance."

The older man—perhaps because he had more experience with emergency situations, perhaps becauee he had not seen the accident, or for some other unknown reason—remained calm and silent. Instead, he went further into his house to retrieve his wife. Mulder took the opportunity to return to his own home; he wanted to drive his own car to the hospital.

Mulder was already arguing with the ER nurse by the time the Scullys arrived at the hospital. The nurse would not release any information about Dana to anyone other than her family. Once again, Captain Scully's powerful hand came to rest on Mulder's shoulder.

Mulder went to sit with Mrs. Scully after Mr. Scully informed both of them that a doctor would speak to them concerning Dana's condition.

"Mr. and Mrs. Scully?" the doctor greeted them.

The three of them stood up. None of them spoke. Mr. Scully never was one for senseless formalities. It seemed neither was the doctor. He spoke in clipped, fast sentences, always getting straight to the point.

"It seems that Dana has suffered a mild concussion as a result of her automobile accident. I am not fully informed of the details of her accident, but the position of the point of impact suggests that she had hit her head on the steering wheel. This kind of forward jerking motion would also account for the injury she sustained in her back. She did not break it, as she feared, though she does have a serious sprain."

"What about the concussion?" Maggie Scully asked fearfully, clutching to her husband's forearm. "There's no permanent damage, is there?"

"No, nothing permanent. She has vomited, which is to be expected with head injury, so I'd like to keep her overnight for observation. After her release, she will probably not be able to leave her bed for another day or so. She'll be sore, but if she's careful, she won't sustain any serious pain."

"Can we see her, now?" Mr. Scully asked.

"Of course, she's in room 305. Now, don't be alarmed if she appears a little disoriented. That is a side affect of the painkillers."

The doctor nodded his farewell and left the three of them alone once again. Mulder offered buy Mr. and Mrs. Scully coffee, a polite attempt to give them time with Scully without him around. Mr. Scully nodded with a wink, and Dana's parents turned down the hall towards the elevators as Mulder walked towards the cafeteria. He bought two cups of coffee and wandered around the corridors so not to impose. He spotted the gift shop and started to look around.

The cashier looked on impatiently as Mulder browsed the aisle of stuffed animals. An annoyed sigh from the check-out counter indicated that it was indeed time for closing. It was after midnight, after all, and not even in the hospital can everything be a twenty-four hour service. Mulder grabbed a brown teddy bear and a "Get Well" card from the ridiculously huge selection ("Who knew that illness could be such a profitable business?" he mused) and handed them to the cashier. He handed the girl exact change and picked up the coffee cups, squeezing the teddy bear between his chest and left arm.

Once he made it out of the gift shop, he found Room 305 and sat in a chair outside of it. He placed the paper coffee cups in the seat next to him and grabbed a pen off of the nurses counter. Hastily, he scribbled a message to Scully and slipped the card into its envelope. A few moments later, Mr. Scully, followed by his wife, stepped into the hallway. Mulder handed them the almost-hot coffee and excused himself into Scully's room.

Tentatively, he entered the hospital room and quietly walked to Scully, who was lying in the typical hospital bed, and sat in the squeaky vinyl chair.

Scully turned toward him, a lazy smile forming across her face, "Hey." Her voice was raspy.

"I thought you were asleep," Mulder half-whispered to Scully as he moved a strand of her hair out of her face.

"No, I just feel funny."

"Are you hurting?" Mulder asked, concerned.

The same lazy smile seemed frozen to her face, "No, just…funny. Painkillers."

Mulder smiled, "I should go. You need your rest."

"Mulder, please don't go. I don't want to stay here by myself."

"Your mother's staying overnight. I don't think she'd appreciate me spending the night with her daughter, hospital or no," Mulder chuckled.

Scully let out a drug-induced giggle. "Okay," She squeezed his hand.

"I, um, got you something in the gift shop to make you feel better," Mulder said as he handed her the teddy bear and the card.

Scully's eyes focused on the stuffed animal. It was brown wit a big black nose. It was in a permanent sitting position and held a football under one arm. Scully fingered the football and looked at Mulder quizzically. He chuckled, but did not answer her unspoken question.

He leaned closer to her, "Your mother is bringing you home early tomorrow morning. The doctor said you'll probably sleep all day, but if you are awake, call me and I'll come stay with you."

"'Kay," she murmured, almost asleep, the bear clutched firmly under her left arm. Still, her lips responded to his good-bye kiss.

He gave her one last look before turning the light off and closing the door. After he had left, Scully reached over to the wire remote and turned on the bedside lamp. She pried the card out of its envelope (which was not all that easy with the painkillers and the pulse monitor on her index finger).

She let her eyes focus before reading the message. In his distinct handwriting, Mulder had written:

"No sense trying to tackle a lamppost. You are much better at taking out high school quarterbacks.

Yours,

M."

Scully laughed, though this one was not as painkiller-related as earlier. He always knew what to say, however strange. She drifted off to sleep, her lips still damp with his kiss.


	14. It's all Greek to me

Scully was able to go home the next day, though, as per the doctor's orders, only to bed rest.  Mulder visited her that day and throughout the following week.  By the end of the second day, Scully was able to stand up without any assistance.  On the third day, she walked through the house.  By the end of Christmas vacation, she was able to manage most daily activities by herself, though with extra caution.

The Monday morning started as a thousand others had.  It was almost as if Christmas vacation had never even existed.  School went on just as it had before Christmas, as it had the year before, and as it will for years to come.  Christmas vacation was merely a fond memory of the students suddenly more claustrophobic in the walls of Fairfield High.  Christmas's only fingerprint was the new sweaters and stiffer jeans the teenagers wore.  All in all, nothing had changed.  Then again, everything was different.

Mulder waited by Scully's locker before lunch, unable to see her anytime before that.  Though he had offered to pick up both Scully and her sister and bring them to school, Mrs. Scully insisted that she drive them to school.  She had wanted to make sure that Dana did not have any trouble, being the protective mother that she was. 

Mulder smiled as he watched Scully maneuver through the halls.  He had seen her before she spotted him, so he was able to watch her expression change as her eyes locked on his.  Before saying anything, Mulder took Scully's books from her and put them in her locker, retrieving her lunch in the process.

"How are you feeling?" Mulder asked.

"I'm fine," she smiled, "Just a little sore.  I'll survive."

"Are you sure?  Do you need more medicine?"

Scully could not help but laugh, "No, I'm fine, I promise.  But I could use some food."

Mulder smiled and slipped his arm gently around her waist as they walked toward the cafeteria.  They sat at their usual table with their usual friends.  Just as Mulder balled up his paper sack, a girlish squeal turned the cafeteria's attention to the entrance, where a crowd of girls had gathered.

"Casey!!!" another voice called from across the room.

The center of attention finally came into sight.  A junior girl, probably five foot seven in height, with dark brown hair and a loud attitude, dramatically flipped her hair as she looked to her fans…err, friends.

"Miss me?"

The girls surrounded Casey once again, shouting like the girl's own cheerleaders. 

"I can't believe you're back!"  "Are you here for good?"  "I've missed you so much!" et al, rang throughout the cafeteria, though it was only from a select group.  Eventually, curiosity died down, and Casey took her seat at the center of a table, surrounded still by her friends.  Scully turned back to those seated at her own table.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"Oh, that's Acacia," one of the boys spoke up.  "She went to Fairfield High until this year.  Apparently, she's back."

"Acacia?  That's a really pretty name," Scully continued.

"It's Greek," Mike chimed in.  "Her father is from Greece."

Scully nodded and asked Mike how his Christmas vacation had been.  She did not notice Mulder's silence through the rest of the meal, or even through the rest of the day.

As three o' clock rolled around, the classroom doors busted open like a weakened dam, spewing students into the halls.  Scully carefully walked through the halls, not wanting to bump into anyone, lest she strain her back even more; of course, Mulder was on guard, assuming the role of the overprotective boyfriend.  Too little, too late?  Maybe not.

As she and Mulder turned down the hall, they almost bumped into Acacia and her group of friends, who had almost barricaded the hallway with their gathering.  Just as Mulder had grabbed Scully's hand to lead her around them, Acacia turned around, slowly. 

"Fox, dear, I haven't seen you in forever!" Acacia exclaimed.

"Hey, Casey," Mulder responded.  "How was Vermont?"

The girl merely tossed her hand in response.  By this time, Scully had moved from behind Mulder to his side.  Casey not-so-discreetly sized Dana up, and let her lips curl into a condescending smile.

"And who is this?" Casey asked, pointedly turning her attention back to Mulder.  Mulder dropped Scully's right hand, only to place his hand on her right shoulder. 

"This is Dana Scully.  She moved here from California."

Scully looked up at Mulder, confused.  When Mulder refused to return her gaze and even dropped his hand to his side, Dana turned back to Casey.  Casey was pretty, Scully decided.  Relatively tall, olive-skinned, brunette.  Almost like a tree nymph.  Casey also pointedly ignored Dana, and Dana, not feeling comfortable in the situation, grabbed Mulder's hand. 

Mulder looked back at her, slowly, almost as if he had forgotten she was there.  Something in Dana shook, but she shrugged it off as petty jealousy.  He can talk to other girls, she chided herself.  Mulder said good-bye to Acacia and her friends, and Scully left without a word.

Scully finished gathering the necessary books and placing them in her book bag before Mulder, so she waited quietly until he had closed his locker and turned towards her.

"Who is she, Mulder?" Scully asked, praying that she did not sound as ridiculous and cliché as she thought she did.

Mulder slid Scully's book bag off her back and onto his own.  "No one, Scully.  Why do you ask?"

"Curious.  Were you two ever, um, like boyfriend/girlfriend?" Scully asked, clenching her teeth out of nervousness.  She watched his face to gauge his reaction.

Mulder laughed.  "No way!"  A beat.  "Scully, are you jealous?" he asked, a smile creeping over both his face and tone.

Scully looked up at him, "No, it's just that there was a lot of tension between you two."  Another beat.  "Okay, a little."

Mulder laughed again.  "You have no need to be jealous."  Mulder kissed the tip of her nose.  "Now how about that ride home?"

Scully smiled, chuckled even, at her own pettiness.  She trusted him, because he had never given her a reason otherwise.  She nodded and they drove to her house, kissed as he pulled into the driveway, and promised to call later that night.

Still, even as she hung the telephone up and lied back in bed, she could not help but feel that Acacia was a force to be reckoned with.  Probably, one she has already 'reckoned with.'

Short chapter, but more tomorrow.  Dedicated to Amy, thanks for the support.  Oh, and special prize for whoever tells me what Acacia means.  It adds to the story.

Reese


	15. Every Rose Has Its

A/N: This chapter dedicated to Kaptain Kristi, who gave me the meaning of "Acacia" (thorny) that I was looking for. Oh, and I used the wrong spelling for Acacia's nickname, it's supposed to be cassie to carry a similar meaning). And for griffin14, Rachel, Nilrem the Arch-Sorceress, Wind- Sorceress-Pluto, and Dana-Carter, who all gave me definitions of the word that I didn't know (wow, I feel like a teacher giving extra credit), I have sugar cookies. But not just any sugar cookies! Alien-head shaped ones with gray icing. The bakery lady looked at me funny when I asked her if she could change the icing from green to gray, but it was definitely worth it. Oh, and siliven, faye, Stefany and daydr3am3r, you guys also get Reticulan cookies for your very nice reviews. And to all those readers who've reviewed or not (but I must ask, why not?) thanks for the support.  
  
The following afternoon, Scully sat at her kitchen table, trying to concentrate on her math homework. In order to allow her back to heal properly, she had to make sure that she did not slouch. That meant that she could not do her homework in the attic with Mulder, where they usually stretched out across the mattress, propped up by pillows or simply each other.  
  
As hard as she tried to concentrate on her homework, her mind kept drifting to Mulder and his behavior around Acacia. She could not understand why Mulder had lied to her, because it was evident that he had. Fox Mulder was a horrible liar. Even so, he must have known better than to think that Scully could not handle the fact that Mulder had had a life before their relationship. It did not surprise her that he had had previous girlfriends. She had even had a few boyfriends, despite her frequent moving. What made Scully jealous, for she had come to terms with her jealously, was Mulder's dishonesty. Obviously, he had something to hide.  
  
Their relationship suffered. They were two people caught up in a silly game. Mulder lied to Scully, and Scully knew it. Mulder knew that she knew it. Scully even knew that he knew that she knew he had lied. The list could go on, but it's already tiresome.  
  
Scully did not like stepping around the subject, but she was never one for confrontations. So, the shifty eyes that refused to make contact with hers and the trying-too-hard touches and embraces continued.  
  
Besides the new foil in their relationship, Mulder and Scully remained close. It seemed as if they had completely bypassed that one weakness in their relationship, compensating in other areas. As the taunting from her peers resurfaced with the arrival of who Scully had deduced was the social leader of the junior class, Mulder's loyalty to her doubled. Like the watchful protector, he stared down those who dared to snicker, and verbally and even physically, once, stood up to those crass enough to make a comment.  
  
Wednesday before last period, Acacia and her friends once again approached Mulder, but this time, Scully was not with him. Acacia broke off from the group to talk to Mulder.  
  
"Who's the chick, Fox?"  
  
"My girlfriend, Acacia, you know that."  
  
"Is she as good as me?"  
  
"Acacia, stop." Mulder's voice was stern.  
  
Jason, who seemed to be Cassie's latest beau, broke into the conversation. "Here comes your feisty little slut now."  
  
"Jason. Back off."  
  
"So tell me, is she a true redhead?"  
  
Mulder turned a full 360 degrees and punched Jason square in the nose. Scully, who had heard the last part of Jason's taunts, stood frozen not ten feet away. Jason staggered, only to regain his balance at the last moment, and retaliated with a blow to Mulder's mouth.  
  
By this time, the assistant principal had arrived and took both of them back to her office. The fight was over and the crowd dissipated. Scully stood outside the assistant principal's office through Biology class and left school with Mulder.  
  
Back in the attic, Scully sat primly on the edge of the mattress while she cleaned up Mulder's face and handed him an icepack.  
  
"I cannot you believe you punched that guy, Mulder," Scully gently chided as he winced.  
  
"Scully, he shouldn't have said those things about you." Mulder's voice was still cold with the anger he felt towards Jason.  
  
"But you got suspended," Scully said softly, "And I feel like I am to blame."  
  
"Well, even if it were your fault, which it wasn't, you are totally worth it," Mulder said sincerely.  
  
Mulder gently kissed her lips, inviting her tongue into his mouth. Scully kissed back, but only for a moment.  
  
"How's your mouth?"  
  
"Better with yours," he quipped.  
  
Scully chuckled softly as she shook her head. "I mean, it tastes like blood. Are you bleeding?"  
  
"Oh, sorry. No, not any more."  
  
"No, it's not bad, I was just worried."  
  
"We're like an old couple, Scully. You with your back, and me with my mouth. Just add a walker and some mashed up food and we're set!"  
  
"Aww, how romantic!" Scully facetiously replied.  
  
They were quiet for a moment, each lost with their own thoughts.  
  
"Hey Scully?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Do you think your mom would let you skip school tomorrow? I don't want you to have to deal with those jerks by yourself. If they push you again..."  
  
Scully cocked her head to the side, in thought. "She usually doesn't. But I'll tell her what happened and she will most likely."  
  
Mulder smiled. "Great. We can spend the whole day together."  
  
The next day, Mulder came to the Scully house around eleven thirty. Mrs. Scully had been reluctant to let Dana miss a day of class, but conceded when Dana explained that Fox was not going and that a group of juniors had taken to making her the brunt of their jokes.  
  
Maggie Scully answered the door when Mulder knocked. "Fox! What happened to your mouth?" Maggie asked.  
  
Mulder shot Scully, who had walked up behind her mother, a quizzical glance. "Oh, well, I got in a fight at school and the guy punched me. That's why I couldn't go to school today. Maggie's mouth turned down in disapproval.  
  
Scully chimed in, "It was that guy that was bothering me. M- Fox was just standing up for me."  
  
Maggie Scully nodded and smiled. "Well, we're about to have lunch, would you care to join us?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am," Mulder responded politely.  
  
Maggie Scully walked ahead of the two teenagers. Once Scully was out of her mother's eyesight, she mouthed "Ma'am" with a teasing glance to Mulder, who merely shrugged in concession.  
  
The rest of their day off together was relaxing. After lunch, the two of them had walked along the beach, something they had rarely had time to do lately, with the accident and school and the early sunsets.  
  
After dinner at Dana's house, they had retreated back to his house and in the attic. Mulder and Scully curled up on the mattress, and Spooky readily joined them. Scully rested her head on Mulder's bicep and played with his fingers.  
  
"Thank you for what you did yesterday," Scully said as she kissed the palm of his hand.  
  
Mulder reached over and kissed her hair, "You're welcome. I know the past couple of weeks have been hard on you, I want you to know that you can always come to me."  
  
"I know." And she did know.  
  
"Then I have a question," she replied after a moment. "Why is it that they have a new interest in me all of the sudden? Do you think Acacia's doing it?"  
  
"No, it's not Acacia. She's not like that. I mean, she has a ego complex, but she isn't vindictive and mean like that. I think that Jason was just trying to impress her."  
  
"Oh." 


	16. Reputations and Midnight Strolls

**Notes: I'm back on track. Loook for an update every Monday.**

The weeks following Mulder and Jason's hallway fistfight showed a change in the behavior of Acacia's group toward Mulder and Scully. After Mulder punched Jason, who had seemed the boldest member of his social group, the students were less likely to reckon with Mulder, who was deemed the victor of the hallway fight scene.

News of the Mulder-Jason fight spread through Fairfield High, reaching students and teachers alike. While it was not uncommon for two boys to throw punches during an argument, the location and Jason's provoking words brought drama to the gossip mill. It changed the way faculty and students viewed Mulder and Scully. Teachers became suspicious of Mulder, often glaring at him in the hallways and calling him out in class. In effect, he became a few of his teachers' whipping boy, the one they most often blamed for interruptions in class. In three of the four classes that Mulder and Scully shared, the teachers instituted a sudden assigned seating, which Mulder attributed to attempts to separate them. A few of the older, more conservative teachers who had learned of Jason's crude words, frowned upon Mulder and Scully, assuming there was more going on between the young couple than there really was; it was not just the teachers who thought so.

To their fellow students, Mulder and Scully became objects of fascination. Whispers behind their backs and pointed stares filled their walks through the hallways. It was draining to constantly have everyone watching them, mouths watering at the thought of another dramatic outburst. In an effort to relieve some of the tension, Mulder had jokingly remarked that if Fairfield had its own tabloid magazine, they would definitely be this month's cover story.

Because of what had transpired, Acacia was far less likely to approach Scully as long as Mulder accompanied her, and Mulder had keenly picked up on Acacia's trepidation. He hardly ever left Scully's side. Because Mulder also sensed that Scully hated his protectiveness, he tried his hardest never to hover. Scully appreciated his subtlety, but his excuses for his behavior were weak at best.

Mulder and Scully managed to move past the rift between them, but only by ignoring the root of the problem. Their united front brought them closer, allowing them to open up to each other. They became each other's greatest confidante, shying away only from past relationships. They had privately agreed to focus on theirs.

About this time, Mulder revealed that he had been having dreams regarding his sister's disappearance. When Scully inquired if the dreams were recurring, he replied that he had had these dreams for about a year after Sam disappeared, then the nightmare's stopped. They had not returned until about a month ago. Now he had these dreams three or four nights a week. Scully probed into the issue, but Mulder shied away from answering her questions, claiming he could not remember the dreams the next morning. She tried not to press the issue, but she was worried for her boyfriend.

That Friday night, Scully had had a hard time falling asleep. She glanced at the watch sitting on her nightstand for what seemed like the fiftieth time, scowling when the numbers read 3:30. The insomnia hit her hard, and she was not at all pleased to have to deal with it. Scully had the distinct feeling that there was something she was supposed to be doing. Sighing, she threw back her afghan, the icy air of her room stinging her arms. Quickly, she padded into the bathroom, hoping that was all her body needed to do before she caught a few hours of sleep. When she returned to her room, though, she was wide awake. Keeping her lights off, she walked around the perimeter of her room, hoping to find something to occupy her time. She stopped at the window that looked over her backyard. Above the few trees that decorated the yards of her and others' homes, she could just make out the highest peak of Mulder's house. She wanted to call him, make sure he was all right.

As she stood staring out her window, a faint sound seeped its way through the window. Scully thought it was an animal of some sort, probably a wolf. When she heard the sound again, she leaned closer to the window, hoping to make out the animal. As she stood crouched, listening to the cries, she realized that it was not an animal cry. It almost sounded like someone yelling. Her heart jumped. The neighborhood in which she lived was middle class, and though her house was one of the smaller ones, even her block did not have what would be considered trashy neighbors. Theirs was a quiet neighborhood.

She immediately jumped to the conclusion that Mr. Mulder must be on a drunken rampage. After all, even a good neighborhood had its secrets, though these secrets (Mr. Mulder's being one of many) are usually kept behind closed doors. She heard the cry again, this time much louder, as she contemplated all of this. Despite knowing the dangers of what she was doing, she threw on her tennis shoes and grabbed her winter coat out of the downstairs closet before sneaking out into the February night.

Scully followed the sounds through the backyards of the neighbors she had yet to meet. Her suspicions were strengthened as she found the cries leading her in the general direction of the Mulder home. She walked right up to Mulder's backyard, debating whether to go in through the back door or climb through the attic window. Then she heard the scream, coming from Mulder's neighbor's backyard. Ignoring the fact that she was standing in someone else's yard at almost four o'clock in the morning, wearing nothing but her pajamas and a coat, she let curiosity lead her towards the sound.

She did not expect the sight that stood before her. She walked closer to the person wandering through the garden of the unknown neighbor's backyard, stopping only when she realized who was standing before her.


	17. Terrors

Chapter Seventeen: Terrors

After watching the figure in front of her for a minute, Scully hesitantly stepped forward, squinting her eyes to make sure they were not deceiving her. She reached her hand out to the figure, then quickly pulling in back against her.

"Mulder?" she whispered. When he didn't respond, she repeated herself, raising her voice. "Mulder what are you doing?"

He looked over at his girlfriend only briefly before turning away.

She quickly analyzed his appearance. Something about him was off. He was only clothed in his pajamas: a pair of flannel pajama pants and a white t-shirt. His face wore the blank expression of sleep, not totally connected with what was happening around him.

She realized earlier that he must be having a night terror. Charles used to have them when he was a lot younger, always rambling about robbers trying to break into his room. She racked her brain, trying to remember how her parents would handle his sleep-walking episodes.

"I have to find her," he yelled, though it was obviously not directed at Scully.

Scully stepped forward and wrapped her hand around his bicep. "Who do you have to find?"

"My sister. I don't know where she went," he replied as he finally turned to face her. His eyes were directed at her but they were hollow, almost like he was looking through her.

Tentatively, Scully dropped her grasp on him and called, "Fox? Fox, why don't you go back to bed? Samantha's not out here."

At the use of his first name, Mulder turned towards her. His face, blank of any emotion before she had addressed him, crumpled. He looked like he was about to cry.

She gently wrapped her left hand around his left bicep once again, this time holding his left hand in her right one. Slowly, she guided him back to his backyard. As the distance between them and his house decreased, she saw that the backdoor was partially open. She told Fox that he had to be quiet, and together they walked through his kitchen, living room, and finally into his bedroom.

She coaxed him into his bed, whispering to him like he was a young child. She did not know how long he had been outside, but he was cold. She hoped that it was not anything serious. Practicality told her that he would most likely not suffer from hypothermia, but she still had her doubts.

Scully looked around the room, hoping to find another afghan or at least a quilt. She found a quilt not unlike the one his grandmother had made for her, and draped it over his body, now curled into the fetal position in the center of his bed. Searching through his dresser, she pulled out a pair of socks and an oversized sweatshirt. She quickly pulled the socks up over his large feet before trying to manipulate the sweatshirt to fit over his head and then his arms when he refused to put it on himself.

Pulling his comforter up to the bottom of his chin, she kissed him lightly on his forehead. He had been watching her walk around the room, never letting her out of his sight. As she came closer to his face, his eyes closed, only to open them as she broke contact.

"You get some rest, Fox, so that you don't get sick," Scully whispered as she turned to go.

Mulder's arm shot out from under him and grabbed her retreating hand. After all his languid movements, his quick grasp startled Scully into jumped.

In a rough voice, he pleaded, "Stay with me."

Scully stood still for a moment, torn between wanting to stay and knowing she should leave. She slowly nodded her head and took off her coat and sneakers after he had released his hold on her. She walked over to his bedroom door and shut it slowly, hoping that its old hinges would not creak under the strain. She pulled back the covers and slid into bed next to him, studying his face. She wasn't sure if he had snapped out of his sleep-induced trance.

As soon as her head hit the pillow, his arms snaked around her tiny waist, pulling her close to him. He let out an anguished sob, his body shuddering with each breath. He still lied in the center of the bed, so he only came up to her chest. His arms still wrapped around her as his hands clung to the sides of her shirt.

Shaking from the adrenaline coursing through her body, she hesitantly smoothed his hair. "It's okay, shh," she cooed. He did not respond, but his sobs eventually quieted into tears as time passed.

Her fingers tangled in his long shaggy hair as she tried to calm both him and herself. The strength of the grip he had on her terrified her because she had never fully realized his power. He had only talked of his sister's disappearance in passing, quickly changing the subject if he stumbled upon it. She had never considered the repercussions of his sister's disappearance on him. She guiltily regretted not addressing the problem.

She tucked her chin to her chest and buried her face in his hair, breathing in the smell of his shampoo. She closed her eyes against the stinging tears that crept up behind her eyes. His breath quickened and he unwrapped one of his arms, searching for something. His other arm pulled her even tighter against him. His hand searched her face, neck and chest above her breasts as he nuzzled his face between them. She self consciously remembered that she was not wearing a bra, but dismissed any fear, telling herself that he was not awake enough to be aware of that. His hand settled on her chest above her left breast, his long fingers wrapping around her shoulder. She felt her heartbeat underneath his palm.

Mulder mumbled something into her chest, so she leaned back. "What did you say?"

With a tone of wonder in his voice, he whispered, "I thought you were dead."

"Who, Fox? Who am I?"

Mulder looked up to her face and replied, "My guardian angel."

Scully sucked in a breath as he buried his face in her chest once again. A thousand thoughts raced through her head, but they all centered on a heartbreaking idea. Mulder thought that his guardian angel was dead.

Though she had never discussed religion with Mulder, she knew that he was not particularly spiritual in the organized religion. Vaguely she remembered him telling her that he came from both a Jewish and Methodist background. She wanted to ask him about the angel comment, but she was afraid of opening the proverbial Pandora's Box.

Mulder's sobs and struggles tore Scully away from her thoughts. He started mumbling protests into her chest. She shimmied herself down to his level so they were face-to-face, gauging what was going through his head by his now-audible words and facial expressions.

"I didn't do it," he cried, repeating it like a mantra. His brow furrowed in frustration.

"I don't know where she is!"

"I wouldn't do anything to her, she's my sister," he whispered persuasively, his voice cracking on the last word. "I'm not a pervert."

His sobs overtook his protest until he started choking on his tears. Slowly, he tore away from a state of limbo into complete consciousness. He was surprised to find himself face-to-face with Scully, who had tears streaming down her cheeks.

Gently, he traced the path of tears from on of her eyes, his eyes studying her face. "What's the matter?"

She opened her mouth to speak and immediately shut it, choking back a sob. She shook her head vigorously. Mulder wrapped his arms around her, gently holding her to his chest. He rubbed small circles across her back.

After a few minutes she pulled back from him, looking up into his eyes, "Are _you_ okay?"

Mulder's brow furrowed in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

"I found you outside, looking for your sister. I think you were sleepwalking."

Mulder smiled softly, "And I thought that finding you in my bed was just a nice surprise."

"Mulder, I'm serious. What happened? I was really scared."

Mulder brought both of them into a sitting position, their backs leaning against his headboard. "Sometimes I sleepwalk during my nightmares. It hasn't happened in a while, and it's usually just around the house. I'm okay."

"Mulder, you need to tell me the whole story about your sister," she demanded quietly, not letting him miss the seriousness in her voice.

Mulder nodded resignedly, "I know."

They sat in silence for a moment before standing up and walking out of his bedroom. He returned a few minutes later with a large cup of tea that he handed to Scully.

She accepted it and waited until he rounded the bed and sat beside her before taking a sip. She could feel the hot liquid warm her from the inside. She held the cup between her hands, prompting him only with her silence.

"I don't remember anything about Sam's disappearance. I remember playing Stratego with her, and her arguing that I was cheating. The next thing I know, I wake up in a hospital three days later, my sister's gone, and I'm the prime suspect.

"The night she disappeared, I was supposed to be babysitting her. My parents were at some friends' dinner party. The night was normal. We ate macaroni and cheese and hot dogs in front of the television and then played board games. I was trying to watch the news, and the games were the easiest way to keep her quiet.

"When I awoke in the hospital, I was swarmed with police officers interrogating me and demanding recounts of that night. I remember being terrified, all this policemen demanding that I tell them where she was. I kept telling them I didn't know. They kept asking, 'where did you hide the body?' which confused me, because they kept referring to my sister as a body. It freaked me out so bad that I remember screaming 'she's not a body, she's my sister.' I think I actually went into a fit of hysteria at that point. I vaguely remember being put in five point restraints at the hospital. It was at that point that the doctors ordered the investigators out of my room.

"After I returned back to my house, I remember how dizzy I was from all the action around me. Accusations flew all around me. Neighbors, school friends, even from my relatives suspected my involvement. The rumors spread around town got pretty outlandish. Her disappearance is what finally tore the family apart. No one would talk about it. I don't remember my family standing up for me. Ever."

"What did they say you did?" she asked quietly, not daring to make eye contact with him.

"It varied. Some people said I was trying to get ransom money, because my parents have a lot of money. Oh, at this time, we lived on Martha's Vineyard, so of course money is a big topic of conversation. Others said I just went crazy. Some speculated that domestic violence in my family played a part in my motive, but those theories were not too popular, as my parents were active in the Vineyard social scene. The worst rumors were the ones that centered around my--" his voice cracked, tears threatening to break loose. Soothingly, Scully rubbed his knee. He sucked in a deep breath and continued.

"They said that I…_raped_ my little sister, Scully. Jesus, I was only 12 years old, and she was a little girl. They said I either had been molesting her and she threatened to tell, or that I killed her by or after raping her. But I had no recollection of doing anything, I swear. Then the investigators said that I suffered from what they call…I don't remember. Anyway, it's some kind of grief-induced psychological episode in where I can't remember committing the crime that was some lashing-out against my own abuse. They said that I could plead not guilty by reason of temporary insanity, but I wouldn't do it. In the end, because there was no body or evidence, they dropped the case."

Mulder breathed deeply and loudly exhaled before timidly looking over at Scully. Her silence made him incredibly nervous.

"I didn't rape or kill my sister, Scully," he whispered.

"I know," she quietly replied.

"I mean, sure she got on my nerves, but I love her. She's my _sister,_" he went on.

She took his hand in hers. "I know," she said louder, with more conviction.

"It's just a lot to process," she amended quietly. "It's a lot to go through, too, I'm sure."

She turned to face him, and watched with pity as he tried to keep his bottom lip from quivering.

"Oh, Mulder," she chided as she cupped his cheek in her hands. "It'll all work out all right."

He turned his face into her hand, letting out a shaky breath she felt flow around her fingers.

"I'm sorry," he breathed against her hand.

"For what, Mulder? You didn't do anything wrong," she replied sternly.

Mulder lifted his head to face her once again. "How can you be sure?"

She laughed softly, "Because I know you, Mulder. You aren't like that."

He turned his face back into her hand and kissed her palm. "Scully?"

"Mmm?"

"I think I need you."

Scully smiled softly, only the corners of her mouth turning upward. She kissed him softly on the lips, holding his face in her hands. She pulled back, looking into his eyes, and whispered, "I'm here."


	18. Grotto

Chapter Eighteen: Grotto

Mulder wrapped his arm around Scully's shoulders and pulled her close. She rested her head on his shoulder and let out a shaky sigh. Mulder looked down at her, about to ask if she was okay, as she looked up at him. Mulder closed his mouth and just smiled softly. Scully returned the smile, only after a fleeting glance at his lips. Mulder pulled his far hand around to touch her cheek, but instead just grazed her jawbone with his fingertips.

Scully's eyes easily slipped closed as the rest of Mulder's body twisted to softly kiss her partially opened lips. He pulled back to switch angles and pulled her bottom lip into his mouth. She reciprocated, sucking on his upper lip. Slowly, she pulled his face closer to hers with a hand on the back of his head. Together, they deepened the kiss. Then, they pulled apart shyly, both self conscious of his or her own breath this late at night.

Scully glanced at the clock, "I better go."

Mulder nodded then smiled, replying, "I don't think they'd accept the 'I found my boyfriend wandering through the neighborhood' excuse."

She chuckled and shook her head softly, "No, I think not."

Scully reluctantly threw back the comforter and stood. Mulder made it over to where she had tossed her coat. Smiling, she reached out her hand for her coat, cocking her head to the side, amused. Mulder shook his head and twirled his finger above them, motioning for her turn around. Rolling her eyes at his chivalry, she obediently turned so that her back was facing him. He helped her put on her coat, smoothing his hands down her arms.

She turned around, smiling up at him, reassuring his resurfaced guilt. She broke eye contact with him to zip her coat, but he gently pried her fingers off the zipper pull.

"Mulder," she lightly whined.

"Lemme do it," he whispered.

Scully stood still, her arms obediently at her size. "I feel like I'm six years old."

Mulder smiled down at her before kissing her pouting lips.

Scully jestingly scoffed at him before walking over to his nightstand to retrieve her coffee cup. Mulder took it from her, "I'll get it."

"Okay. I really better go. My mom's an early bird, even on Saturdays."

Mulder guided her out of his house, through the backdoor. Scully turned to face him before leaving his house.

"Are you going to be all right?"

Mulder nodded, "Yeah, I'm okay."

"I'm glad."

"Hey, Scully, can I…"

"Spill it, Mulder."

"I want to take you on a date."

She laughed.

Mulder crinkled his eyes.

"Aw, Mulder," she nobly composed herself. "I'd love to go on a date with you."

"Six o'clock."

"That early?"

"Six o'clock."

"Okay, I'll be ready," she squeezed his hand before hurrying off into the cold weather.

By the time she got back to her house, it was almost five thirty. Glancing up to the ceiling above her, she heard her mother stirring in the master bedroom. Quickly, she threw her sneakers and coat into the hall closet before pouring a glass of orange juice and slumping into a seat at the kitchen table. In the moments it took for Maggie Scully to enter the kitchen, Dana had managed to let the fatigue she felt take over her body.

"Dana, I'm surprised to see you up so early," Maggie exclaimed before bustling around the kitchen. Moments later, the gurgling of the coffee pot filled the room.

"Yeah, me, too," Dana said, praying that her mother wouldn't be able to see through her lie of omission.

"You looked flushed. Do you have a fever?" Maggie inquired, stretching out her hand to feel Dana's forehead.

Dana pulled back, dodging her mother's hand. She knew if her mom felt her face, she would know she'd been outside. "I'm fine."

"Okay. Do you want some coffee?"

Dana nodded.

When Maggie placed the steaming mug in front of Dana, she pulled the mug close, taking a cautious sip of the hot dark liquid. Three mugs later, Dana was awake enough to properly function. She planted herself in front of the television, staring aimlessly at the morning cartoons.

Promptly at six o'clock that night, the doorbell of the Scully residence announced a visitor. Dana hollered down from her bedroom that Fox was here and for somebody to let him in. Moments later, as Fox shifted in the foyer under Captain Scully's paternal inquiries, Scully bounded down the stairs. She grabbed her coat off the floor of the closet and her leather gloves from the shelf.

"Bye, Dad. Bye, Mom," Dana said.

Maggie turned her attention to her younger daughter, "Be home by eleven. We have church tomorrow."

Dana nodded and grabbed Mulder's hand, leaving before even putting on her coat and gloves. Mulder wrapped his arm around Scully, holding her close. He let her in the passenger side of the car before seating himself behind the wheel. "Okay, Mulder, where are we going?"

"You feel like some pizza?"

"Order-out?"

"Nah, I got this parlor I want to take you to. Have you ever heard of Grotto Pizza?" Mulder smiled.

Scully shook her head.

"Good."

Thirty minutes later, Mulder pulled his car into the parking lot a block from the boardwalk of the next beach over.

Arm in arm, they walked the length of the boardwalk, passing the closed amusement park and the multiple seashell gift shops. He held the door for her to Grotto Pizza, a charming and rather large pizza parlor. It was mostly empty that night, due to the lack of beach-bound tourists and vacationers. Still, a good-sized party in one of the private rooms made quite a lot of noise. From what Scully could see, it was a family, complete with aunts, uncles, and grandparents. The five kids were arguing over the breadsticks, while the little girl on the end cried to her father about burning her finger. Apparently, she had grabbed the pizza tin not long after a waiter had brought it to the table. The father deftly shoved the girl's hand in the pitcher of Sprite, letting the ice and soda soothe her hand.

Scully returned her attention to Mulder as they followed the hostess to a small table in the main room. There were only a few other tables occupied, so Mulder chose the one in the back corner, more secluded from the other customers.

They both ordered Coca-Cola before the waitress went back to the kitchen, and Scully opened up her menu. Mulder watched Scully, trying to gauge her reaction. Under his gaze, Scully looked up.

"What?" she smiled.

"What do you think?" Mulder asked.

"I don't know yet. The atmosphere is nice. It isn't too loud, and the décor is definitely authentic," Scully smiled as she motioned towards the red and white checkered table cloth that matched every other table in the room. With the dark lighting and the quiet atmosphere, Grotto Pizza really did resemble what its name meant—a cave.

"How did you find this place, anyway?"

"We used to come here for my birthday, when I was little. We came for a couple of Samantha's birthdays too. After her disappearance, my parents never brought me back here. I love this place, though," Mulder finished, smiling broadly. "Best pizza on the Atlantic."

Scully laughed, "Well, what're we going to eat?"

"Pepperoni pizza, extra cheese. You haven't lived until you've tried this," he declared.

They ordered as planned and talked in hushed tones until the pizza arrived. Mulder and Scully each took a large piece from the pizza tin and slid it onto their respective plates. Scully understood Mulder's excitement over this pizza after she saw it.

"This is the greasiest pizza, so you might want to blot—"Mulder started.

Scully looked over the piece that she had shoved in her mouth. She managed to swallow before choking out a laugh at herself.

"Or you could eat it like a man," he finished, laughing.

Scully swatted at him, but he grabbed her hand.

"You're getting slow, Scully."

"Am not," she retorted, the folded piece of pizza dangling from her free hand.

"Oh, no?" he teased her, grabbing her crossed feet between both of his calves, pulling her feet close to him.

"Fine, you win," she gave up.

"I know."

"Now you have to let me go," she replied.

"Not without making my demands."

After giving up trying to pull her hand out of his grasp, she complied, "Okay, what will you take for my ransom?"

"A kiss."

"Fine," she smiled before smacking a kiss clumsily on his cheek. She laughed at the grease mark left on his cheek from her first bite of pizza.

"Aw, that's not a kiss," he complained, wiping his cheek with the back of his hand. "A real one."

Scully smiled before leaning over the table. Mulder met her more than halfway, and winked at her before their lips met. He laced his fingers with hers, though their kiss was only momentary. Neither was used to making a show of their relationship, and though no one was paying mind to the young couple, both were self conscious.

"I told you I loved this pizza," he remarked, licking his lips.

* * *

the little girl who burnt her hand on the pizza was me, way back in the day. Grotto Pizza is actually in Delaware, not Connecticut, but I took artistic license with that one. Check out 


	19. Smoke

Chapter Nineteen

"Where do you want to go next?" Mulder asked as they strolled back to his car.

"What are my choices?" Scully asked.

"Everything," Mulder smiled down at her.

She let a laugh escape her throat. They walked in comfortable silence until they reached his car.

Mulder started the car and began driving. "You still haven't made up your mind."

"What about going to a movie?" she suggested.

"Anything you want to see?"

She thought for a moment and shook her head. Mulder watched her in between glances at the road.

"Me neither," he replied. "Do you want to see what's going on at Jeff's house?"

"Okay," she replied.

"You sure?" he opened his right hand for her left and laced his fingers in hers.

"Yeah, I haven't seen them outside of FHS in a while," she assured him.

"Well, I heard that Garrett has a new girlfriend," he replied casually as he turned down the correct street.

"Really? It's about time! I was surprised to find a charmer like him single."

"But not me, right?" he joked, winking at her.

"I just got lucky."

Mulder smiled at her and squeezed her hand.

After a moment, they turned down the main road of Jeff's neighborhood. Mulder steered the car away from the middle of the road to allow space for the oncoming car that had made its presence known with the blare of its horn.

"I wonder what their problem is," she muttered, to which Mulder hummed in agreement.

As the car approached, though, it slowed considerably. From the open windows the car's occupants (at this point apparently girls), waved their arms, calling to Fox. Politely, Mulder waved to the car, nodding his greetings. When he lowered his hand though, searching for Scully's, it wasn't there.

Instead of groping the dark for her hand, Mulder took his eyes off the road, glancing over at Scully. He was genuinely surprised to find her staring out her window, arms crossed tightly and shoulders squared.

"Scully?"

If at any point in his life Mulder would claim to have X-ray vision, he would have sworn that Scully rolled her eyes at him. The exasperated sigh that escaped from her side of the car was just mounting evidence against her.

Mulder parked the car and walked around to open her door. He had never seen quite a painful glare in his entire life. His resolve weakened slightly, and he cursed to himself as he saw how hesitantly his hand reached out to her. She pointedly ignored it and jumped out of the car on her own. She made it up to the sidewalk before she whipped around, the accusatory glare seemingly permanently affixed to her face. Mulder idly wondered if it was a conscious or subconscious attempt to bridge the height gap between them. Even on the off-chance that it was neither, he was not about to step up next to her.

A beat passed before she even spoke, and when she did, her words were low and clear. "You have to be very careful about how our relationship comes off to other people, especially at school. I am already forced to deal with animosity from people because of whatever relationship you had last year. They can hurt me through you, and they will go as far as you let them."

Now, Mulder had dealt with women in his day. He was accustomed to the silent treatment, tears, hissy fits, temper tantrums, and even the dreaded PMS. But this, a well-thought, well-delivered argument, was different. She could have just as likely been giving a report in class. Without the expected dramatic, wailing accusations, it was hard to deny the relationship he had once had with Acacia. And what was worse, she was not mad; she was hurt. To see that his actions hurt her ebbed what was left of his male ego in the situation.

"Okay, Scully. I'm sorry," he reconciled. He gently kissed her lips and led her up the walkway to Jeff's front door. Even moments afterward, Mulder was not sure if Scully's lips had reciprocated the kiss; he held out hope.

When Garrett swung open the door and Mulder found himself enveloped in another girl's arms, that hope quickly faded. The girl then held him at arms' length, what was left of the hope disappeared. He found himself staring into the eyes of another former girlfriend.

"Fox Mulder!" the girl exclaimed, "And here I thought you had dropped off the face of the planet. The guys kept telling me 'Fox this' and 'Fox that,' so it was easy to imagine you had only become a name!"

Mulder, whose thoughts had honestly not strayed from Scully, gently pulled his girlfriend by her suddenly limp hand to his side. With a hand pressed into the small of her stiff back, he drew her into the group.

"Andrea, this is my girlfriend, Dana Scully. Dana, Andrea."

Dana was startled as the girl flung her arms once again, this time wrapping Dana in a friendly hug as she gushed over Dana.

"I've heard so much about you! I'm so glad the guys have found a girl that could put up with them! Can you imagine how awful they'd be if you weren't here to keep them in check?"

Dana opened and closed her mouth like a beached fish as she tried to find something to say. Over Andrea's shoulder, she saw Garrett gravely nodding in agreement, comical and completely oblivious to the tension in the room.

Jeff's mother entered the foyer, ushering the teenagers like little chicks into the basement with promises of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Mulder guided Scully with his hand on her back, needing to touch her suddenly, though he could feel her back curve away from his hand.

Mulder and Scully sat side by side on the leather couch. Mulder let his arm rest against the back of the couch, an invitation to Scully, but she had instead brought her knees up to her chest to lean on while she munched on a cookie. With Andrea sitting in an orange armchair and the guys occupying other various pieces of furniture in the room, Scully had a clear view of the entire group. She purposely leaned forward to remove Mulder from her eyesight.

"Andrea, where do you know Fox from?" she asked, not feeling any need for pointless small talk.

If Andrea felt uncomfortable by Dana's forwardness, she showed no sign. In fact, the girl let out a hearty laugh before answering the question. "I guess you could say we," Andrea paused here to laugh once again and shoot Fox a playful glance. "Well, to use the term loosely, we dated. But that was forever ago….God, was it eighth grade? If you could call it dating. I think we lasted four days. And the whole time, I don't know if we talked to each other," at this point, Andre took on a reprimanding tone. "Fox Mulder, I hope you've improved since then."

Mulder laughed. "Well, I've managed to hold her interest for a little longer. I'm afraid one day she'll wizen up, though."

Scully managed to crack a smile.

Andrea steered the conversation. "Anyway, it's a boring story after that. I started hanging out with some of the other guys from school, Jeff and Fox included. Then in high school we met Garrett. I went to a private high school, so it was a while before I really met the other guys. The reason I didn't meet you sooner, Dana, was because, I guess around the time you moved here, I was busy with volleyball. Then Fox kept you all to himself, and here we are, already halfway through February. I think the boys kept us apart to protect themselves. They aren't that many girls that grace Jeff's basement with there presence, so us two are going to have to stick together."

Scully smiled and nodded. "Yes, we should."

"You think Fox would be up for double dating?" Andrea asked as though he was not in the room. At first, Scully though that she meant the three of them going somewhere, but rationality quickly won over jealousy.

Mulder joined in the conversation, "You mean you are Garrett's new girlfriend?" He was genuinely surprised.

Andrea threw back her head laughing, "Don't tell me he didn't tell you? Well, you know how he can be, trying to make everything more dramatic than it is."

"How did you guys, you know?" Mulder asked, pleased with the news.

She tossed her hand in the air. "It's a horribly boring story. Not nearly as romantic as I think Garrett would have preferred it."

Garrett once again shook his head in agreement. Dana wondered if he was truly smitten; he seemed incredibly happy.

As much as she tried not to, Scully found herself really liking Andrea. As the night wore on, Andrea's constant, friendly, lighthearted demeanor made it impossible not to. Although her spastic, hyper behavior may not have lead someone to the assumption that Andrea was acutely aware of others' needs, her intuition was sharp. Her delight over the fact that Fox had found a girlfriend in Dana calmed Scully's uneasiness and she started to enjoy the visit.

"What I want to know," Andrea prodded, "because it seems like no one else seems to know, is how the two of you hooked up."

For the first time since they arrived, Mulder and Scully looked each other in the eye and laughed. They shrugged. The room busted with laughter.

"Well, how did you guys meet?" Andrea offered.

Mulder nodded his head towards Scully, "She ran me over in the hall and then had the audacity to yell at me."

Scully opened her mouth into a tight O. "I did not! You bumped into me! Then later," at this point, she addressed the room, "He didn't help me open my locker, even though he was standing right there!"

"Now, that," Mulder retorted, "is a lie. I saved her from a guy who wouldn't stop badgering her. I think you know him, Andrea."

"Oh, my God!" Andrea broke into the conversation, "Not that Jason guy! Every time I meet him, he doesn't remember me, and yet he still can't help himself from hitting on me!"

"See," Mulder dragged his words smugly, "And she didn't even remember."

For the next five minutes, the Andrea and the rest of the gang watched as Mulder and Scully argued over their first date. Mulder claimed it was the night at the coffee shop, but Scully said it was the night that they saw the Monty Python movie. The way they flirted and argued simultaneously was mesmerizing.

Andrea took the position of the judge, stepping into the debate. "Okay, okay. So the coffee shop came first. Who paid?"

"Fox did, but that doesn't matter. He didn't ask me. We didn't make plans."

"Yeah, I found her shipwrecked on the beach like a lost sailor," he joked.

Scully, who still had her arms wrapped around her legs, gently knocked his side with her knee. He let the tips of the fingers of his outstretched arm to draw circles on her shoulder. "I love the beach," she explained.

Andrea pretended to ponder this, "Okay, when was your first kiss? That is the definite start of your relationship."

"Ha!" Scully exclaimed, her arms unwrapping and her legs unfolding as if spring loaded, "That was the night of the movie!"

Mulder watched her excitement with a broad grin in his face. He pulled her closer and she compliantly leaned into him.

"I told you," she said, her voice softer but not without a gloating tone.

For that moment, they just smiled at each other, both remembering the night after the movie.

One of the guys yelled, "Kiss her!"

He gave her a questioning glance before lowering his face to her and once again gently kissed her lips. He was elated to feel her lips reciprocate the kiss, holding his lower lip between them.

The room erupted in sweet-sarcastic "Awws." Scully laughed and tucked her face down, embarrassed. Mulder watched, enchanted, and laughed with her.

When Mulder and Scully stood to leave, it was much to Andrea's disappointment.

"Dana, if we don't see more of each other, it would be tragic!" Andrea gushed. She handed Dana a scrap of paper on which she had scribbled her phone number. "Call me; we can go shopping or something."

"Okay, thanks, Andrea. It was great meeting you," Dana replied.

Once again, the girl wrapped her arms around Dana's waist. This time, Dana returned the hug.

When they arrived back at the Mulder residence, Scully was surprised to find that it was not even nine thirty yet.

"It's chilly in here, isn't it?" Mulder mused aloud as he put both his and Scully's coats in the closet.

"I'll go upstairs and get my quilt," she offered, "if you'll grab some sodas."

Before Mulder even had a chance to agree, she was bounding up the attic stairs. He placed the two sodas on the coffee table and flipped on the television. After flipping through the channels twice, he settled on the news and started to wonder what was keeping Scully.

He had just started up the attic stairs when the light switched off. Standing where he was, he waited as she descended the stairs, listening to the steady creaking of the warped stairs.

"I can't find Spooky," she whispered to Mulder, as if the ghosts in the walls could hear her.

"He's in my room. The attic was too cold. He usually hangs out under the bed," he replied in a matching stage-whisper.

"Well," she smiled softly, "in that case…" She unfolded the quilt and wrapped it around his shoulders, a long, colorful cape—invisible in the darkness.

Mulder pulled her close to him with arms wrapped around her waist. "Scully," he breathed across her lips.

She leaned forward decreasing but not eliminating the distance between them. She felt the increase of his breath—the coolness of his intake, the moist heat of his exhale. She pulled the quilt tighter around his shoulders before letting go of the thick material to run her hands the length of his arms. Scully tried hard not to crack a smile as she entangled her fingers in his hands, effectively removing his grasp on her waist. A giggle escaped as she tried to maneuver around him, down the stairs.

He kept his fingers tight around hers and whipped around, wrapping both his and her arms around her middle.

"You're playing dirty, Miss Scully," he mock-threatened before tossing her over his shoulders. Being in the dark stairwell caused Scully to completely lose her sense of balance. Mulder bent down to retrieve the jewel-tone quilt that he also tossed over his shoulder.

"Mulder!" she squealed, "Put me down right now!" Scully was trying hard to sound threatening.

"You aren't being a gracious guest, Miss Scully. I don't allow all my prisoners such a view."

When Mulder stomped into the den, she had once again given in to the fit of laughter and soundly smacked his bottom. "And what a view it is!"

She found herself dizzy but upright, the quilt once again on the floor.

"Mulder….did I embarrass you?" she asked, humored. "Mulder! You're blushing!"

"Scully, you talk too much," he growled as he fell back on the couch, pulling her on top of him. His legs dangled over the arm of the couch, the quilt long forgotten.

"I think I like you embarrassed. You're all red and cute," she laughed, her fingers dancing around the edge of his face.

Mulder turned serious, "Scully, I'm sorry about today."

Scully avoided eye contact, instead tracing the outline of his lips. "I know." She kissed him softly, two of her fingers still on his lips.

She broke the kiss after a few moments, pulling herself away from him so that she could focus on his face. "This isn't very comfortable, is it?"

Mulder chuckled and shook his head. "No, but it seemed romantic at the time."

Groaning as he sat up, he refused to allow her to stand up.

"What are you doing?" she chuckled, surprised as he placed her gently on the couch, the opposite armrest underneath her head.

"Saving face."

She stretched out her arms and latched them around his neck when he came close enough, "You're crazy."

"Only about you," he kissed her slowly.

She pulled away, "Oh, did I say crazy? I meant cheesy."

He nipped at her bottom lip, slurring her speech. Giving up, she slipped her tongue into his mouth. Invitingly, he opened his mouth fully, but she retreated back to her own space.

"Tease," he hissed before prying her mouth open with is own tongue, demanding complete entrance. His fingers skittered across her neck, up to the underside of her sharp little chin, down to the flat expanse of her upper chest. His left hand moved to the back of her neck, tilting her face up to allow better access. As his right hand continued to move down, her fingers tangled in the hair at the base of his neck roughly pulling him closer. The flatness of his palm measured the plains of her body, moving straight down between her breasts, across the smoothness of her middle, then down to the plain of her stomach. Back and forth, over and over, on her stomach, toying with the hem of her sweater.

She groaned, and he slipped his hand underneath the hem. The softness of her stomach mesmerized him, and the motion of his hand on its warm smoothness mimicked the strokes of his tongue on her mouth.

Scully felt like she would burst at any moment. She stilled the movement of his mouth on hers, sucking on the tip of his tongue. Their lips separated with a smack as her mouth found his neck, nipping at the saltiness of his skin. When she found the spot where the flesh caves into the valley wedged between his neck and collar bone, he tucked his face into her hair.

"Scully?" Mulder broke the silence after a few moments, his face still hidden in her hair. "I think we should talk about what happened earlier tonight."

She moaned protest before biting him gently. Frustrated, Mulder sat up, out of Scully's grasp.

"Why won't you talk about it?"

Scully straightened her shirt and pulled down the legs of her jeans. "I don't want to."

"Why not?"

Scully sat up. "Because tonight was fun. I didn't want it to be overshadowed by an argument," she explained.

"Who said we're going to argue? And who's to say tonight hasn't already been overshadowed," he countered.

"Well, we're arguing now, and I thought this," she said, gesturing between them, "was the highlight of tonight."

Mulder ran his hand through his hair.

"Well, what did you want to say?"

"Dana, this is the highlight. I just…nevermind," Mulder cut himself off. Scully stayed silent and waited for him to continue. "You know how much I care about you, right?"

Scully's lips turned upward. She reached out and grabbed his hand, worrying his fingers between her own. "Mulder, last night was rough on both of us. Did you just want to see what was on TV?"

Mulder grinned and shook his head. He leaned forward and kissed her slowly, their rhythm soothing, comforting. Scully's hand smoothed down his hair, coming to rest on the side of his neck. Mulder's hand found its way back up Scully's shirt, and he reveled in the different feel of her stomach, the way the muscles were tighter when she was sitting. Neither noticed the opening and closing of the side door.

A sandpaper voice interrupted the two high-schoolers. "Is your father around," the man stated, rather than asked.

Mulder and Scully pulled away from each other like same-charged particles, startled to find another person in the room.

The man who stood before them was not unfamiliar to Mulder. From his angle, the man had a clear view of both teenagers. His eyes darted to where Mulder's hand came to rest on Scully's hip bone, his fingers still under the soft cotton of her shirt. When Mulder noted the man's attention to Scully, he protectively leaned forward, forcing the man to make out much less of Scully.

"No." Mulder's word was so blunt, a bark almost, that if one were to second guess his own hearing, one would have thought the boy had not spoken a word at all.

Scully coughed softly when the smell of smoke reached her nose. The man smiled in what was probably meant to be a kind manner, though it came out as a grimace, and lit another cigarette. He nodded to her and left the house. For a moment, neither spoke. Looking at Mulder strangely, she asked, "Who was that?"

"Just some dude Dad works with. He's been coming around for years. He's eaten dinner with us a few times. And I see him at my parent's parties," Mulder replied.

"Oh," Scully replied, "What's his name?"

It was Mulder's turn to stare. "I don't know."


	20. Prom Crown

notes at end.

dedicated to Ani Abel because this chapter wouldn't've been out as fast without her. Keep pestering me and the chapters will come faster!

thanks everybody for the pleasantly long reviews! keep 'em coming!

Chapter Twenty

Fairfield High's Junior-Senior Prom came seven weeks later. That day, Andrea arrived at Dana's house with an exorbitant amount of cosmetics and hair supplies in addition to her dress and shoes. Excited, they spent the whole of the day primping. They were laughing excitedly when Mrs. Scully entered with a plate of brownies.

"Girls, you're going to have to save some of that fun for tonight or you'll sorely disappoint your dates when you're worn out at nine thirty," she playfully chided.

A little before seven that night the doorbell rang and the sounds of Mrs. Scully gushing over Garrett and Fox in their tuxedos followed moments later. Andrea and Dana peeked down the stairwell, hoping to catch glimpses of their dates squirming under Mrs. Scully's attentions.

"Are we ready to make our entrance?" Andrea asked.

"Are you sure I look all right in this?" Dana asked, unsure of the dress she borrowed from Missy's wardrobe.

"Of course I am! Let's go before my hair falls," Andrea encouraged.

Together the two girls descended the stairs. Andrea wore a red ankle length princess cut dress. Her curly hair was swept up and secured with a silk flower. Dana had on a tea-length dusty turquoise dress that had the ruffled V neckline and hem that was popular during that time. The dress was not exactly her color, and the neckline dipped a little low for Dana's comfort. Even so, both girls smiled as they met they eyes of their respective dates.

After dinner, the two couples walked into the Fairfield High Gymnasium.

"It looks like it was attacked by crepe paper," Mulder whispered to Scully. After a moment, he spoke again. "Oh come on Scully, I know I'm not that funny, but you could crack a smile," he teased.

She looked up at him and gave him a closed, hesitant smile as she pulled his hand into hers, holding it tight.

"Dana, don't be nervous; this is gonna be fun," Mulder assured her.

"Mulder, I can't dance," Scully meekly admitted, looking up from under her eyelashes. She wished she had voiced more, for that was the least of her worries.

"Well," he mused aloud, "you aren't going to learn standing around the punch bowl."

Both looked back at the refreshments table behind them to catch a guy spiking the punch. Winking, Mulder pulled Scully by her hand onto the makeshift dance floor. He picked up her right hand in his left and dropped her left hand to snake his arm around her waist, his hand resting on the middle of her back. Scully wrapped her arm around his arm and back so that her hand was resting on his shoulder, her fingers curling towards his chest. Her eyes fluttered closed as the Eagles' "Hotel California" wafted from the speakers. Together, they rocked back and forth as their feet traveled in a circle. When a faster love ballad came through the sound system, Mulder switched their rhythm by dropping his hand from her waist and pulling back. Smiling broadly, he raised his other arm (and Scully's with it), allowing her to spin. He pulled her back quickly, holding her closer than before. Faster they moved, and Mulder changed their footing.

"It's called a box step," Mulder explained as they moved. "And the rhythm is slow, quick, quick, slow. So you make a square with every four steps."

Scully looked down, watching their feet move together, the distance between them staying constant. When she raised her face, she found herself almost nose-to-nose with Mulder. He kissed the tip of her nose before resting his forehead against hers.

"I like these new heels; they make it easier to kiss you," he whispered, closing his eyes.

"Mine or yours?" she asked, smiling, to which he laughed.

"You really don't have any rhythm, do you, Fox?" a voice teasingly interrupted. Without realizing it, Mulder and Scully had slowed considerably as the song picked up pace.

"And you think you can do any better, Jeff?" Mulder replied.

Jeff raised his eyebrows and held out his hand to Scully, who graciously accepted, shyly waving to Mulder as Jeff led her toward the center of the dance floor. Though it was Jeff who had no sense of rhythm, both he and his dancing partner thoroughly enjoyed themselves. When the song ended, Jeff dramatically bowed and thanked Dana for the dance.

Mulder wandered over to where Dana now stood, this time carrying two glasses filled with the red punch. She tilted her head to the side, smiling and thanked him for the drink. "It's really warm in here, do you mind if we sit out this next dance?" she asked.

"Jeff didn't get you all hot, did he?" Mulder feigned jealousy, to which Scully batted her eyes innocently.

"I've got my eye on him," he whispered in her ear before leading her to one of the tables. After ten minutes, they returned to the dance floor where they danced for the next two hours. Scully had her turn with most of the guys from the basement group, and Mulder had graciously danced with the boy's dates in turn.

"Attention, Fairfield Upperclassmen," a voice came over the loud speaker. "It is time for the crowning of the Prom Court!" The students gathered around the stage, where the principal stood at the podium. A female faculty member whom Scully recognized but couldn't place her name stood onstage near the crowns and sashes.

"The Prince and Princess are members of the junior class, voted by their peers. The Prom King and Queen are both seniors, but both juniors and seniors elect them," the principal explained. "This year's Prince is…." He dragged out the pause before announcing, "Mr. Fox Mulder!"

Mulder looked shocked and suddenly hesitant. Scully cheered as she pushed him towards the stage, where the woman gave him a gaudy crown while everyone clapped.

"This year's Prom Princess is…" the principal flipped note cards, "Miss Acacia Robbins!"

Scully dropped her hands as she felt the breath leave her lungs, realizing what had happened. Mulder, who was still in the limelight, clapped politely but focused on Scully. She didn't hear who was named senior royalty, the ringing in her ears drowning out both the principal and the student body.

When the Prom Court walked toward the center of the gym for the traditional King and Queen dance, Scully felt the bile rise in her throat. Mulder led Casey, holding her hand. They danced slowly, but Scully noted Mulder's hand was well above Casey's hips, almost between her shoulder blades. Casey apparently had other plans. When the two turned so that Casey was facing Scully's general direction, the girls locked eyes, even though Scully was in the center, not the front, of the crowd. Casey then had the audacity to grind her hips into Mulder's. Scully felt the blood coursing through her body, the adrenaline causing her to shake in anger. Mulder, though, had tactfully distanced himself from Casey, his hands at her waist holding her more than far enough away.

Still, Scully could not help but feel a wave of inadequacy wash over her. She felt childish in a poorly-fitting, dull dress, while Acacia looked admittedly elegant in a deep blue halter dress. Casey was truly beautiful, exotic with her long brown hair piled on her head, her almond-shaped eyes highlighted by dark lashes. Dana ran her fingers through her feathered locks, wishing her hair wasn't so flaming red.

"You don't have anything to worry about," Andrea said softly, from behind her.

Dana turned and smiled at her friend, shrugging dismissively.

"I'm serious," Andrea urged, holding her friend's hand. "Don't you see the way he looks at you?"

Garrett walked up behind Andrea. The song started winding down, and he held out his hand in invitation. "Dana, you haven't danced with me tonight," he teased. "You aren't avoiding me, are you?"

Scully shook her head, but waved him off. "You two go dance," she smiled.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Andrea asked.

"I'm sure, really."

"Don't think you're getting out of that dance you owe me, the next one's mine," Garrett warned.

"I don't," Scully smiled. As Andrea and Garrett walked away, Scully started toying with her wrist corsage.

"Hey Scully," Mulder wrapped his arms around her waist, "Why so blue?"

"Just matching my dress," she offered, still focused on her corsage.

"Hey," he hummed, ducking to place a soft kiss on her lips, "You look gorgeous tonight."

Scully smiled graciously.

"Aren't you going to comment on me?" Mulder fished.

She pretended to study him critically, holding him away from her, "Good, good. Except that," she pointed to his crown.

He raised his eyes as if he could see it resting on his head. "Doesn't match my tux?" he teased.

She shook her head, pretending to be thinking, "No, not that. I think it's giving you a big head," Scully finished with a smile.

He laughed heartily, "Then in that case," he took it off and placed it on Scully's head, smoothing her hair. "Dance with me, Dana," he breathed, turning serious.

Scully nodded as she stepped into his arms. She openly stared at him, as he closed his eyes, humming to the music. Scully removed the crown from her head, holding behind Mulder's back in her left hand, so that she could stand closer to him. She rested her head on his chest, the vibrations from his soft singing soothing her. Her heavy eyelids fluttered open as she felt Mulder moving her right hand, that he had been holding, closer to his body. Mulder guided her open palm to his chest, pressing it in place with his own hand.

Mulder started to speak, but it took a few moments for Scully to understand what he was saying. "—beats for you, Scully. Only you," he murmured, his voice gravelly and soft. Scully smiled and kissed the hand that rested inches from her face.

Garrett walked up behind Mulder as the next song began, holding out his hand. Scully stepped out of Mulder's arms and let Garrett lead her in the next dance. Two songs later, though, Scully was once again with Mulder. They continued to dance as the prom wound down, until Mulder felt a tapping on his shoulder.

"Fox, we're gonna head out and finish getting everything ready," Andrea said with Garrett at her side. "You two still coming tonight?" Andrea was throwing an all-night after prom breakfast party at her house. Dana was ecstatic that her parents were allowing her to go.

"Yeah, we'll be there in a while," Mulder assured the other couple.

Scully and Mulder waved goodbye, promising to follow not long after. One song later, they left prom. When they arrived at Andrea's house, they were surprised at the turnout. "There must be thirty people here!" exclaimed Scully, who was honestly only expecting the basement crowd.

They walked into Andrea's house, a gym bag slung over Mulder's shoulder and Scully wrapped in his tux jacket.

"Andrea, this is amazing!" Mulder said.

Andrea beamed, "Thanks! Most everybody's in the basement, there's food and drinks in the kitchen, and the rest of the people are in the living room. My parents are upstairs, but they shouldn't be too bothered by the noise, so they hopefully won't make an appearance."

"Is there someplace I can change?" Scully asked, pointing to the red gym bag.

"Oh, yeah, in the back room on this floor. There's a door and nobody should be in there."

Scully walked down the hallway and was surprised to find that she wasn't in a bedroom, but more of a small entertaining room, complete with a full-size bar. Mulder followed seconds later. When he saw the bar, he let out a low whistle.

"That must be a new addition, I don't remember it being here before."

Scully smirked, "Admiring the interior decorating, are we?"

"You forgot your bag," he explained. A beat later, he held it up as evidence.

"And you don't have any ulterior motives, catching me alone?"

"Well, maybe a handful." He stepped towards her, kissing her soundly. "I've wanted to do that all night."

Scully topped their kiss with a small peck, "I had a wonderful time tonight, thanks Mulder."

Mulder looked at her hard. "Even with the whole Prom Court thing?"

Scully tried smiling, though her insecurity wasn't allowing her mouth to cooperate, "The prince thing? Nah, I already knew you had a big head. It couldn't have made that much of a difference," she tried joking, but it fell flat and sounded pathetic to her ears. Mulder didn't correct her, for he knew she understood what he was asking. She sighed, "Well, I can't say I was happy about the _Princess _thing, but I'm truly pleased you got Prince. I just….well, it makes me feel inadequate, ya know?" She looked up at his face, illuminated only by a nearby streetlight. "It's just me being self-conscious, that's all. It's not your fault," she conceded.

She had already taken off her heels, so Mulder had to bend his knees so they were eye to eye. "You have no idea how wonderful you are, and that makes you all the more beautiful. Dana, you are the only one I care about," he assured her.

She tilted her head and opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. Slowly, she leaned forward and kissed him, her arms around his neck, pulling him tight against her. His hands traveled down her side and around to the backs of her thighs. Keeping their lips locked, he lifted her to straddle his waist, and then deposited her on top of the bar. She giggled, running her fingers through his hair.

"My Mulder," she breathed into his ear before sucking on his earlobe. She was pleased with herself when he emitted a surprised gasp. Pulling out of her mouth's reach, he trailed kisses down her neck and along the neckline of the ruffled dress.

"Beautiful…sexy," he repeated, punctuating each uttering with kisses that started as small, wet kisses to tiny licks and escalated from there.

One hand tangled in the back of her hair, while the other rubbed her smooth calf as it dangled beside him. Moaning as his mouth met a particularly sensitive spot, Scully wiggled until she was at the edge of the bar.

"Mulder," she purred, stretching out the name as he pushed her breast, exposing more cleavage from underneath the ruffles. His tongue, teeth, and lips nipped and sucked at her soft flesh. She twisted, elevating herself from the bar, pulling him closer to her.

"Angel, we have to stop," Mulder voiced thickly as he sat her on the lower part of the counter so they were face to face.

On some level, Scully was relieved. Most of her focus, though, was on how he said it. A coy smile gracing her lips, she asked, "What did you call me?"

"Hmm?" he wasn't following. After a beat, "Oh, that…it's like a pet name."

Softly, "I like it. But where did you get it?" Something about it rang familiar, but she was not able to place it.

"Well, you know, I don't know. But you don't strike me as 'Muffin' at least."

She laughed, "No, I guess not. Now you need one, though." Both were trying to ignore the sexual tension in the room.

"You better get changed; I don't think Andrea knows we're in here."

Scully nodded and accepted her gym bag. "Mulder, turn around," she shyly whispered. Shakily, she pulled up her pants and took off her dress. Unsteadily, she padded over to where Mulder was standing.

Mulder turned around and took off his own dress shirt and tie, leaving a white t-shirt and his black dress pants. Scully took his clothes and shoved them in the bag that now held her prom dress. She now wore sweatpants cut off mid-calf and a baby tee. The only indication of her previous attire was her hair.

"I think I could get used to this hair," he purred.

She buried her face in his chest, letting out an unsteady breath. "Mulder, that was... "

When she did not finish her sentence, Mulder detangled her hair with his fingers.

She chuckled nervously, "hot."

Mulder smiled and nodded, even though she couldn't see.

"You make me shaky all over," she said into his chest.

Mulder tightened his hold on her reassuringly. "Dana?"

Scully leaned back so she could see his face.

Mulder cleared his throat and started again, "Dana, I think I've fallen in love with you."

Scully once again hid her face in his chest. When she unwrapped her arms and pulled his hands away from her waist, he got nervous. Both their arms at their sides, their hands linked, she sniffled.

"I love you, too, Fox Mulder," she smiled all teary.

He kissed her tenderly. "What's with the first name? No need to change now," he smiled.

She rolled her eyes. He offered his hand, "We're missing the party." Scully laced her fingers with his and they walked to the basement, Mulder carrying two plates full of food they had picked up in the kitchen, and Scully holding the drinks.

The basement was nice; it consisted of a huge carpeted room, the couches and chairs haphazardly scattered around the room. They found their usual gang and sat next to Garrett and Andrea on a brown couch. Scully curled up into Mulder's side, eating off the plate that sat in his lap. They talked and laughed for hours, the seniors at the party talking of their after-high school plans briefly. One by one people either left or crashed on the couches, floor, or wherever. Scully fell asleep around five A.M.

I rewrote the scene in the bar room twice, first making it just a make-out session, then making it even more physical, and then this. I didn't want this chapter to be too smutty, so I had to cut out some stuff. The focus is on the relationship, but the more physical stuff will probably be next. kisses! pdb


	21. Cellophane and Styrofoam

The following Friday night Mulder courageously offered to cook for Scully. When he asked invited her earlier that week, she had cocked an eyebrow and asked, "You cook?"

The truth. No. But there was no way he was going to say that. Instead, he waved off her doubts and told her to come over around seven. Go knows he didn't plan it any farther than that.

So there he stood, in his mother's kitchen with two hours until she arrived. Feeling defeated, he reluctantly dug through the kitchen cabinets. Nothing. But his mother didn't cook so he was anything but surprised. He briefly debated ordering Chinese food and dumping it on a plate. He figured that the easiest food he could make was chicken. It never seemed to complicated.

When he walked into the locally-owned grocer, Mulder felt more overwhelmed then he ever remembered feeling. He wandered over to the meat refrigerator, staring at the cellophane-and-Styrofoam wrapped chicken. A butcher offered assistance, which he gladly took.

"I'm making dinner for my girlfriend but…" Mulder trailed off, feeling embarrassed.

"You don't know how to cook," the skinny man, who resembled nothing of a stocky, moustached butcher, offered, laughing to himself. "Do you have any ideas?"

Mulder mumbled his idea that had seemed so sound before he had seen the meat section.

"Good, good. Chicken is good to start with. Baked chicken. We'll get you some thighs—they aren't as likely to dry out as breasts—and do you have flour? No? Pick up some before you leave. Fill a baggie with flour and put the thigh in the bag and shake until it's coated. The wetness of the thighs will let the flour stick. Back the thighs at 350 for forty-five minutes. The fat from the meat and the flour will give the illusion that it's fried, but not overly greasy. Pick up a can of peas and a box of instant mashed potatoes. Just follow the directions on the box. You should be set."

Mulder smiled gratefully, though not completely assured, and took the meat the man handed him before thanking him. Hesitantly, he headed off for the rest of his ingredients.

Dinner had been a relative success. The chicken was a little over done and the potatoes were a little runny, but his attempts were completely appreciated. Scully gushed over the meal and went back for seconds.

"Where are your parents tonight?" she asked absently as she helped him with the dishes.

"They already went up to Martha's Vineyard for the reunion. You're still coming tomorrow?"

She nodded. "I'm kind of nervous about meeting your family at such a big event. I feel awkward that I never met your parents before this."

Mulder frowned, "I know I should have introduced you to them. It's not that I'm embarrassed by you or that I don't want them to know. It's just," Mulder hesitated, gesturing as he tried to explain himself. "They aren't easy people to like, and it tends to get messy."

She nodded; she really did understand. After all, it wasn't long after they were dating that she saw the father-son dynamic that did not exist. She was not particularly keen on meeting them either, but she knew she had to at some point. "I never thought you were trying to hide me from them. But when a guy takes a girl to meet his family, it usually isn't his _entire_ family. How many Mulders are there again?"

"Forty-seven. But we can worry about that tomorrow morning."

She agreed and they retreated to the living room, glasses in hand. After finding nothing remotely appealing on television, Mulder stood up and turned it off.

"Let's go upstairs, Scully." He held out his hand and guided her up the stairs. Scully thought that his nervousness earlier in the evening was from his cooking, but it had only heightened since they had finished the dishes. The hand that led her was sweaty.

When they had reached the attic, she turned to him, squinting inquisitively through the darkness, trying to discern his mood. His gaze never stayed on her. "What's the matter?"

He smiled and shook his head, "Nothing. Nothing."

She was not sure what was going on at this point. She was at a loss. She walked the length of the attic to the corner they usually inhabited. She felt Mulder follow a few steps behind. Moments too late, she stated "It's raining." She opened the window and inhaled deeply. What she was searching for downstairs found its way to her upstairs.

"I just love the way the rain smells," she told him, the moonlight making her eyes shine brightly against the dark room. "It smells different everywhere. In San Diego it was bitter salty, but it's sweeter here."

She shrugged, "I must sound silly."

He shook his head, "Never."

She laughed, "Now I know you're lying."

Gingerly, she sat down on the mattress. At her beckoning, he sat down beside her, his lanky legs spread to accommodate his height. "Are _you _worried about tomorrow?" she asked, her head resting on his shoulder. She felt him hum as he considered the question.

"No. Not really."

She scooted away from him, her back at the head of the bed, leaning against the unfinished wall, so she could see him. "Really?"

"Well, I want you to meet my grandmother—she's the most important to me—and she already loves you. And there will be so many people that you probably won't get a chance to talk to all of them. But a little. Not more than usual." He crawled awkwardly to her, grinning like an idiot at his own goofiness. When he was eye-to-eye with her, he leaned back slightly. "I just want you to have fun."

She tilted her head to the side, opening her mouth to assure him. Instead, she kissed him. As the kiss escalated, she was surprised at how much passion Mulder was putting into it. His hand placed firmly on her neck pulled and pushed her closer to him, changing the angle and the depth of the kiss. She felt her heart beat faster as he pulled her under him. She felt her arms tense as she felt his erection on her left thigh. When his mouth moved its attention to her collar bone, she felt a reprieve. As his breath came in pants and he actually groaned as he pressed harder into her leg, she panicked. "Mm—Mulder," she stuttered out, so quietly she had hardly heard herself.

It was like flicking a switch.

Immediately, most of their body contact was gone as he lifted himself to his hands and elbows. With his mouth still on her neck, he purred a questioning, "Hmm?" against her throat.

She felt tears choke her as she forced the words out of her throat, "I don't...want…" She swallowed and sighed shakily before starting again. He had stilled all his moments even as he did not meet her eyes, instead staring at the hollow of her throat only three inches away. "I believe…not…before…"

He nodded, "Okay, okay," he whispered. He sat backward on his haunches, bringing her to a sitting position with him. Gently, he left kisses on her lips, trailing along her jaw line when she didn't respond.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Mulder stopped. His hands firmly gripped her shoulders as he fiercely stared into her eyes. "Don't."

She swallowed the tears that were threatening to spread down her face.

"Don't ever apologize for your beliefs. Ever," he hissed in what would have been a threat if the meaning of the words wasn't so considerate.

Nervously, she nodded, her face tinted blue by the moonlight streaming through the window.


	22. Diamonds and White Gold

­­­­­­­­­­Sleepily, Mulder wandered in the dark to the living room, picking up the insistent telephone. "Hello?" he mumbled, his voice thick and slurred with sleep.

He heard the caller breathing, and more clearly inquired who was calling, almost ready to hang up and stumble back to bed. That is, until a timid, whispered 'Mulder?' floated from the earpiece of his phone.

He awakened quickly as the adrenaline started flowing, "What's wrong?"

On the other end of the phone, Scully's unsteady hand smoothed over her face. "Can you come over? I need you." Her whispered words cracked on the last sentence.

"Of course. Okay. Are you okay, Scully?"

Scully shook her head, though assured him she was fine over the phone. "Can you walk? I'll be on my back porch. I don't want to wake up my parents."

Mulder nodded, "Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes. It'll be okay." Mulder hung up and quickly grabbed a T-shirt and a pair of jeans off his bedroom floor before slipping into the darkness.

He approached her backyard from the side, so he saw her before she saw him. She was sitting in shorts and a tank top—much too little clothing for such a chilly night—on the cement steps that led to the closed porch. She was staring at a space somewhere ahead of her feet. She turned away from him, ducking her head, before resuming her study of the sidewalk.

"Hey, Angel," he whispered so not to startle her, but she seemed surprised anyway. "Are you all right?"

She smiled, tight-lipped, and nodded. He squatted in front of her, soothingly rubbing her knee. When he leaned in for a kiss, though, she ducked her chin to her chest. For a brief millisecond, he though she was upset with him. When the smoke wafted guiltily out of her mouth, he was genuinely surprised.

He sat back on his heels, "I didn't know you smoked."

She smiled weakly and bluntly replied, "I don't" before taking a long drag on the cigarette, simultaneously exhaling and flicking the butt onto the ground between them.

He just stared at her.

"I mean, I used to. They're my mother's. Only when I can't sleep because I'm anxious about something. I've only smoked once since I met you, except this, I mean," she offered, gesturing to the ground between them.

"When..uh" he stuttered, "When was that time?"

"When I heard your father beat you."

Her callous bluntness hurt him, and he physically felt repelled. She looked up, though, and caught the hurt that distorted his features.

"I'm sorry, really. I'm just in a weird mood. I didn't mean it like that, honestly. I tend to get a little, cold, I guess. But when I saw what he did to you…Mulder," she looked up sharply, "I was so scared. If he was that capable of flipping out over the fact that the car was in the driveway, how little could cause him to really hurt you!" Her voice was sharp, not the remorseful tone of an apology, but the ferocity behind the words delivered much the same effect.

He nodded for a long moment to the point where the motion was repetitive rather than conscious. Like a drawn spring, the nodding faded off. After a moment of them both absolutely quiet, absolutely still, his voice, now timid, asked, "What is worrying you now?"

"Us." He wondered for a beat if she was breaking up with him. "Tomorrow. Tonight. I'm not sure what bothers me more: telling you no or telling myself no. God, Mulder, I…I've _never_ been as close to anyone, except my family, as I am to you. I don't want sex to come between us."

He shifted until he was sitting cross-legged, looking up at her.

She laughed humorlessly, "Hell, they say that sex changes everything, but they never said that the lack of sex changes everything as well."

He shook his head, "Nothing's changed."

"Everything's changed," she countered, more stern than petulant.

"Scully, listen. I'm not going to lie to you and say that I don't want to, but that's not why I'm in this relationship. We're both young, and you're even younger than me, so you're right, it is a huge deal. But it's not going to push me away from you. I love you. And I didn't mean for tonight to come to that anyway, really. My weak attempts at cooking were not to seduce you, honestly."

She crossed her arms and brought her knees together, her feet still spread, so that her posture was more alluring than defensive in its innocence. She leaned forward but didn't speak.

His eyes were soft and his voice was smoother as he continued assuring her, "I respect your beliefs because they're yours. I don't have to agree with them. But you have to understand, Scully, that it's not always easy. Sometimes you're going to have to stop me."

She nodded.

"But you shouldn't smoke."

She smiled, her eyes visibly wet. "I know."

"Tomorrow is going to be fun. I'm surprised your parents are letting you stay over. My grandmother is thrilled. Oh, she told me you'll be sharing a room with my cousin Nancy. You'll like her. She's only in junior high but she's really funny."

She was not convinced, "Your parents—they don't even know me."

He shook his head, "It doesn't matter. And you don't even have to talk to them if you don't want to. As I said, there'll be enough people at the party that it'll be easy."

"What if I don't fit in?"

"Well," he looked thoughtful, "We get along all right, and I'm the most messed up one there is. If you can handle me, you can deal with the worst of them," he grinned at her.

She smiled, her eyes closing slightly.

"See? It'll be wonderful. Are you packed for tomorrow? It's about four hours away, so we're leaving at seven. You can tell your parents you're going to be home on Sunday around five because of Sunday brunch. And I can take you to church in the morning, if you want. There's a Catholic one not far down the road."

She lowered herself from the stairs and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly, "Thanks you so much," she mumbled into his neck.

He kissed her forehead before kissing her lips. "Now, it's past your bedtime," he mock-admonished. "Do you think you can get some sleep, now?"

She nodded. He helped her stand up and pushed her towards the back door of her house. "All right, now I'll pick you up tomorrow morning."

She obediently walked through the porch and into the house. She smiled as he waited for the lock to click before walking back to his own house.

It was four o'clock in the morning.

Less than three hours later, the doorbell obediently signaled Mulder's presence. William Scully answered the door and politely offered Mulder coffee as he waited for Scully. Together, the two sat down at the kitchen table, the steaming mugs of coffee between them. The Navy Captain stared hard at the high schooler, and Mulder took a long sip of the too-hot liquid to avert his eyes.

"So, Mr. Mulder," Captain Scully started after a moment of watching the boy squirm. "You are going to a family reunion on Martha's Vineyard."

"Yes, sir. In Chilmark, where my family is from."

Captain Scully nodded as if he had known this information. "And you are taking my younger daughter away from this house. Four hours away, to be exact."

Mulder was not sure if he should agree or not, so he said nothing.

"I trust my daughter, and she seems to trust you, but she is my daughter. You _will not_ harm her in any way, is that clear?"

Mulder had never encountered such a protective father, though he did not blame the man. "Yes, sir."

Mr. Scully nodded. "Where will you two be staying?"

"My grandparent's house, where the party is being held. I'm rooming with my Uncle Robert, Dana's staying with my cousin Nancy; she's twelve."

"And what about Sunday?"

"Well, the Mulder side of my family is Jewish, so Sunday isn't the typical Sabbath for us. There is a Catholic church, though, about five minutes down the road from my grandmother's house. Dana and I are going to attend the early…service."

Mr. Scully crossed his arms on the table, leaning forward. "Fox, have you ever been to a Catholic Mass?"

Mulder stumbled a little, "No, sir."

"Well, it will be a good experience then," Mr. Scully finished and stood as he saw his daughter enter the kitchen. Mulder turned and stood as well. Dana stood in the door jamb, a smile playing at her lips.

"Are you done, Daddy?" She asked teasingly.

"Come give your old man a hug, Starbuck. I'm not the one used to standing on shore as you ship off."

She laughed and walked over to her father, hugging him sideways as he kissed her forehead. With her tea-length skirt and her soft curls, standing next to her lumbering father, Scully did not look all of her sixteen years. For the first time, Mulder saw his girlfriend through the eyes of her father. He picked up her overnight bag and patiently stood at the entrance to the kitchen.

Scully turned to him, smiling. "Ready?"

"When you are."

She stood on her toes and kissed her father's cheek, saying good-bye. When she reached where Mulder was standing, he turned towards Mr. Scully, "Good-bye Mr. Scully. We should be back tomorrow evening."

"Take care of my daughter," Mr. Scully reminded him.

"I will, sir."

"I know you will, Son," the father changed his tone with this line, letting the boy know he approved.

Well, as much as a father can approve any boy hanging around his daughter.

The two teenagers walked out to the car with Mr. Scully following them as far as the front porch. When they reached the car, Mulder left Scully by the front bumper and packed her bag next to his in the trunk, taking the opportunity to admire her appearance. She had definitely taken care dressing for the occasion, Mulder mused. Her linen A-line skirt resembled the French-country style with its royal blue-on-white large floral pattern. She wore a well-fitted cardigan in the same shade of blue and tiny white sandals. She looked decidedly upper-class prep, a look he had not seen her in before. He had hoped that she would not have worried so much, but his worrisome self couldn't blame her without admitting hypocrisy.

As he opened the car door for her and climbed up beside her, he continued his thought process. She must have spent a great deal of time this morning; he hoped she was able to sleep. Her hair hung in soft curls, gently framing her face. Not that he usually noticed these types of things, but her make-up was impeccable. She was really set on making the perfect impression on his family, and her sweetness nearly broke his heart.

After the car pulled to a stop at the first red light they encountered, he pulled her hand into his. "Angel, you look gorgeous."

She smiled, relieved, "You think so?"

He kissed her knuckles, nodding fervently as he rested their hands on the middle console. "You know we have quite a way to drive before you see them. Do you want to stop somewhere and change into something more comfortable? We can change back into these clothes on the ferry."

She looked down at her clothes thoughtfully. "Yeah, you're probably right."

He replied, "Then we'll change when we stop to pick up breakfast. I need some coffee, but your father's coffee is really strong."

She laughed, "He uses chicory, like they do in New Orleans. Nobody else can stand it, either."

They stopped at a McDonald's and changed into t-shirts and jeans with a promise of changing back before any of his family saw her. Mulder ordered coffee for himself and orange juice for Scully along with breakfast sandwiches. A short time later, they were back on the road.

Three hours later, they were moving at a crawl, in line to board the ferry. Mulder watched, smiling as Scully took in the sight of the ferry with its cars docking. "Is this the first time you've been on a ferry?"

She nodded.

"Usually when I visit, I just board without my car, which is over there," he pointed to another loading point. "But I thought it'd be nice to have a car if we wanted to go somewhere. When we pull away from the dock, we can go up to the observation deck."

Scully smiled, "I'd like that."

For about thirty minutes, the two wandered around the deck, watching the ferrymen and whispering jokes about other passengers. They made their way to the edge of the deck, Mulder wrapping his arm around her waist. "See, just to the left? That's Martha's Vineyard."

She pulled her hair back in one hand, gathering it to protect it from the wind. "It's beautiful." Silently, they watched as the green spot on the horizon grew larger until it manifested itself as a recognizable island.

"I have something I want to give you," he whispered in her ear. "Let's go back to the car."

She nodded and took his hand and they weaved through the crowd. Once back at the car, Mulder dug through his bag before tucking his jeans back down and closing the trunk. She watched him, dubious amusement written on her face. He walked around the car to where she was standing. "Doubting me, Scully?" he teased.

She shook her head playfully, "Never."

He leaned against the side of his car and wrapped his arms around her, a small box held securely in his hands. He kissed her slowly, pulling away to watch her reaction. She smiled up at him expectantly when he failed to speak. He dropped his arms and shoved his hands stiffly into his pocket, fumbling for the right words. He brought his now-empty hands up in the air, visually trying to explain himself.

She lifted her eyebrows a little, but let him find the words on his own. He cupped her face in his hands. "I love you more than I thought I was able to," he started. Shaking his head, he tried again, "You are so important to me, as a friend and as my girlfriend." Frustrated, he walked away from the car, then turned and walked back.

He laughed nervously, "I'm really messing this up."

She shook her head but said nothing.

Looking around, he pulled Scully by the hand to a park bench cemented between the rows of cars and sat down beside her, their knees banging as he turned towards her. "My grandmother is a wonderful lady, and I know you two are going to get along really well. She's well-known in my family for being both generous and sentimental. For my fourteenth birthday, she invited me to the house for the weekend. She told me about her first love, when she was nineteen, and how it affected her. She always says that your first love shapes who you are as an adult. So," he trailed off, shyly pulling his eyes away from hers, playing with the fingers. "It's something special. Nobody gets to experience a first love twice. She says it's the foundation of our love lives. And since," he trailed off once again then whispered, "you're my first love, it's a big deal."

He grinned. "My grandmother said first loves are often overlooked, though never forgotten. Her first love gave her something to signify it, and I'm supposed to give it to mine." He pulled out the small box and tentatively handed it to her. "No strings attached, it's a thank-you for giving me this new beginning."

The corners of her mouth turned upward as she flipped open the lid. Mulder watched intently as her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She looked up at him shaking her head before dropping her eyes back down. Gently, she ran her fingers over the hard roughness of the jewelry.

"It's gorgeous," she whispered. "Are you sure you want me to have this?" Her face was open and honest.

He nodded. "You aren't my first girlfriend, Dana, but you are my first love. You deserve this."

She beamed, "You're my first, too." She handed him back the open box. "Will you put it on for me?"

He nodded and took her left hand into his lap. He held the bracelet up to the light, dangling it in front of her. "Do you like it?"

She dipped her head before laughing happily, "I love it, Mulder. I can't believe you're giving me this!"

He kissed her before leaning back to attach the clasp on the bracelet. She held her arm up, admiring the way the light bounced off the… "Diamonds?" she asked.

He nodded. "Diamonds and white gold."

Her decorated arm flew up, her hand covering her mouth before returning out in front of her body. She twisted her wrist, admiring the tennis bracelet. Small circles of white gold and diamonds sat side-by-side, connected by shiny, white gold.

She laughed and kissed him hard on the mouth, still smiling when she pulled away. "I love you," she whispered. She leaned against him, her face to the sun peaking through the edge of the covered garage, watching the light dance of the diamonds. Affectionately, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

"We should get back to car; we're about to dock," she mused, watching everyone walking to their cars. Mulder nodded and took her hand, leading them the short distance back to the car. Scully looked down at their hands, the shine of diamonds fit beautifully. She caught Mulder watching her and squeezed his hand.


	23. Chilmark, Mass

Chapter Twenty-Three

Scully leaned forward in her seat to see the entire Chilmark estate through the front windshield of Mulder's car. "You never told me it was so big."

He shrugged, "I guess I never thought about it."

Incredulous, she looked back and forth between the house and Mulder once. He honestly did not even think of it. She nodded slowly before fastening the tiny buckles on her shoes. "Should I take my bag in now or come get it later?"

He shook his head and stepped out of the car after Scully, "I'll send someone to get it." Smiling, he held out his hand for her. She took his hand tentatively and wondered this weekend held in store for her.

Nervously, she finger-combed her curls as they walked to the stairs leading to the front door. Her stomach started dancing as she became more nervous. When she tightened her grip on his hand, he stopped walking and looked down at her.

He leaned down and whispered, "Let's show you off, Dana," before kissing her jaw just below her ear. The corners of her lips turned up slightly, though she was still nervous. When he angled his head to kiss her, she looked away nervously, afraid someone would see them.

"For luck," he explained as he turned her mouth towards him and placed a delicate kiss on her lips. Smiling, he tilted his face down again and kissed her again, his tongue sneaking into her mouth momentarily.

Breaking away, she admonished, "Last one for the weekend, Mulder. The worst way to show me off would be with your tongue down my throat." She softened her words with a smile.

Playing along, he replied, "Then how am I going to show them what a great kisser you are?"

"Well, if they ask," she drawled conspiratorially, "I'll just show them."

He smiled and then scowled when he caught the meaning, "Gross, Scully."

She chuckled as they started climbing the stairs. He rang the doorbell that echoed on the other side of the door, grinning as he stepped back to stand beside her.

She laughed and moved her fingers to wipe his lips, "Mulder, I keep telling you pink doesn't look good on you." His lips snuck to kiss her fingertips as she wiped the lipstick smudge off his lower lip.

"No, but you do," he said as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Their laughter stopped as the heavy door swung open.

A woman wearing the customary maid uniform—grey button-down dress and matching apron—stood at the entrance. Mulder surprised Scully when he greeted the woman by her first name and told Scully she could give her purse to Mary.

"Our bags are in the trunk," Mulder told Mary as he handed her the keys. "Can you have Jonathan take them to our rooms?"

"Yes, sir."

He smiled, "Thanks, Mary."

"Your grandparents are in the living room. Lunch will be served on the patio."

"Okay."

Scully watched this exchange, completely astonished. Mulder seemed completely used to this. She could feel the nervousness build in her stomach as he led her through the high-ceilinged foyer.

He grabbed her hand and led her to the living room, explaining that he wanted his grandmother to meet her first. Mulder's grandmother spotted the young couple first, "My dear Fox! I thought you'd forgotten about your stodgy old grandmother. Come, let me get a look at you," the woman who was anything but stodgy exclaimed.

Mulder obediently walked around to the front of the couch, gently pulling Scully along. "Hey, Grandma," he smiled. "You look well."

Violet Mulder turned toward Dana, "Do you hear how he talks to me? Acting as if I'm some old woman."

Mulder laughed, "Never!" He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Where's Grandfather?"

"You just missed him. He went onto the patio to smoke one of those wretched cigars. Promise me you'll never smoke, Fox. It's very crass."

Mulder smiled at his grandmother, "Promise."

"Oh! Where are my manners? This must be Dana!" She held Dana's hands outwards, "My, you are beautiful. Fox," she called over Dana's shoulder, "You never told me how gorgeous she is."

Scully looked over her shoulder; a wicked smile played on her lips as she admonished, "Fox!"

He held up his hands in self defense, stifling his laughter.

Violet shook her head and held Scully's hands close to her between the two women, "Never mind him. Men can be such a fuss."

"Well, this one at least," Scully quipped.

Violet hooted in laughter. "You got a feisty one, Fox! Good thing, too, because I'm sure he keeps you're hands full."

Scully nodded, smiling at Mulder.

"Well, as much as I want to keep you to myself all weekend, there are others who haven't seen you since last year, Fox, and I'm sure you want to introduce them to Dana. Most of them are in the garden; we'll have lunch back there momentarily. And Dana," Violet called as they were about to leave the room, "we'll have a nice talk and get to know each other. I should have some baby pictures of Fox around here somewhere." Violet winked as Mulder groaned theatrically.

As they weaved through the house to the sunroom, Mulder wrapped his arm around Scully's shoulders. "Do you like her?"

She smiled, "Very much."

He nodded approvingly. They stepped into the adjoining sunroom where a group of adults lounged on various lawn chairs that Scully found fancier most indoor furniture. A flutter of greetings erupted from the adults as they soon recognized Fox, who in turn introduced everyone to his girlfriend.

Scully, in a rush to remember these strangers' names, only caught a few. Most of the adults were distant cousins and great aunts and uncles. Two of Violet's children, Mark and Jacqueline, and their spouses were in the lawn, supervising the playing children. After Mulder pointed out most of the people, he had yet to introduce Scully to his parents.

"There's my grandfather, over in the corner of the garden," Mulder gestured across the yard. The man Mulder was discussing turned around, puffing on a cigar. When he caught sight of his grandson, he gestured them over, though did not bother to attempt to smile around the cigar in his mouth. Scully held out her hand when Mulder introduced her to William Mulder, Sr. Her movements stuttered and her face reddened when Mr. Mulder waved off the proffered hand. When she meekly dropped her hand, Mulder grabbed it reassuringly and stepped closer towards her.

The older man appraised the two standing before them, looking down his nose at them. Ignoring Dana, he turned to his grandson, "I assume you are doing well in school, Fox, and are not allowing any extracurricular activities to deter you from your academics." Dana knew he was not referring to debate team or basketball.

"Actually, Dana has a special gift for explaining our psychology lessons to me. I'm doing especially well this year."

Seemingly satisfied and disappointed at the single answer, Mr. Mulder finally turned to Dana. "How long have you known Fox?"

Not allowing his intimidation visible effect her, Scully spoke in smoothly, "Since I moved to Fairfield in October. My father's career with as a naval captain brought us from San Diego. Fox and I have quite a few classes with each other."

She seemed to have piqued his interest. "Navy, you say?"

"Yes, sir. He initially got into the Navy after high school in Louisiana. After attending college, he decided that he wanted to make his experience with the Navy into a career. He's now involved in the Allied Command based out of Norfolk."

The man in front of her continued to size her up, asking, "In which of the three divisions does he serve?"

Scully immediately replied, "U.S. Fleet Forces Command under the direction of Admiral Isaac C. Kidd— "

Mr. Mulder opened his mouth to correct her, but she was quicker.

"Jr."

Mr. Mulder nodded. "Well, that's an admirable career."

Scully smiled politely and Mulder chimed, "Well, I think lunch is about to be served, Grandfather, so Dana and I should probably freshen up."

Mulder gracefully guided Scully away from his Grandfather's disdainful stare. When they were out of earshot, Mulder asked, "Are you okay?"

Scully raised her eyebrow. "Mulder, I thought you said meeting your grandfather would be easier than meeting your parents."

He rubbed the small of her back before stilling his hand, "I did."

He motioned over a maid and asked her to bring two iced teas. "Right away, sir."

"Mulder," Scully stood on her toes, whispering, "How many maids do your grandparents have?"

"Normally just two, but she hired extras for this weekend."

One of the children who were playing on the lawn came up to Mulder, a girl was no older than three years old. "Fox!" she giggled, her stubby legs awkwardly carrying her towards her cousin.

Mulder squatted down, opening his arms to catch the toddler, "Why hello Miss Mary!"

The girl smiled and tilted her head shyly. Mulder picked Mary up and turned toward Scully, murmuring to the child, "I want you to meet someone, Mary. This is my friend Dana."

Mary nuzzled her face into Mulder's neck. Another child, a dark haired young girl trailed behind her sister.

"Fox, is this your girlfriend?" the older child asked.

Mulder nodded as he hugged the girl at his side, still balancing Mary in his other arm. "How are you, Danielle?"

She smiled, "I started third grade this year."

Mulder feigned shock, "If I don't hurry up, you're going to catch up with me!"

The more subdued child finally grinned, "No way, Fox! You're too old!"

"Don't tell Dana, or she'll go find someone younger," he stage-whispered conspiratorially.

Danielle turned to Scully, "You're name sounds like mine, Dana."

"It does, doesn't it? It's nice to meet you, Danielle," Scully said.

The shy little girl dropped her gaze to the ground, "I like your shoes. I have high heels on, too, but I can't fix the buckle," she stuck out her left foot, pointing to the one-inch heeled white dress shoes.

Scully knelt down, her hands outstretched as the girl help up her shoe. Across the lawn, a group of women were gossiping over iced teas and the occasional Bloody Mary, catching up on the latest social news of Martha's Vineyard. Jacqueline interrupted Teena Mulder, who had just joined the group with news of the latest affair.

"Teena! Isn't that the bracelet—"

The women all hushed and turned in the direction of Jackie's pointed finger to the teenager kneeling in front of Teena's niece. Teena sat back, a mixture of contempt and haughtiness on her face as Mark's wife confirmed Jackie's observation.

"What do you know about the girl?" Kim, Mark's wife, asked.

Teena shook her head. "I've never seen her."

Jackie laughed. "It seems your son has done a good job keeping her to himself," nodding her head in the direction of Mulder, whose attention was glued to the girl who had also captured the attention of her two girls.

"What's her story, anyway," Teena asked, already disliking the redhead who stood out among the dark-haired children of the Mulder family.

The Mulder patriarch, now finished with his cigar, joined the women. "Navy brat. Her father seemed to do okay. She's below our status, though, Teena."

She nodded, "I was afraid of that."


	24. Open Eyes

Chapter Twenty-Four

A local restaurant catered the lunch, and a hired wait staff served it in the garden. Lunch was subdued and somewhat secluded as people sat five or so to a table. Mulder sat them at a table with a few of his older relatives, who after polite inquiry and small talk paid little attention to the lone young couple sharing their table. They were being cordial, not quite rude, but Scully felt somewhat snubbed anyway.

As Mulder walked her around the grounds, he pointed out places that held some memory from his childhood visits to his grandparents' home. From the far edge of the east garden, he pointed out the stables that used to house his grandfather's horses.

"As he got older, he gradually declined the number of horses. When I was nine, he was down to four horses," he explained. "When I moved a few years back, he only had his pet horse that died eighteen months later."

"What kind of horses were they?"

"Mostly stallions but all types of breeds. His last one was an American Saddlebred."

They rounded the estate, ending up on the opposite edge of the back garden, where a group was gathering in the middle of the lawn.

"Scully, have you ever played croquet?" Mulder asked, his tone insinuating an act far less socially acceptable than a yard game.

Laughing, she shook her head. Taking her silence for acquiescence, he grabbed her hand and they strode across the lawn. Picking up a wooden mallet, he passed it to Scully, who studied its multicolored handle, comparing it to the wooden ball she already held in her hands.

The others playing had already started picking order and such, the wickets already in place. One of the older men holding his own mallet nodded his head at the two as he asked, "You want to join our game?"

Scully shrugged at Mulder before he nodded at his uncle. Mulder told the other players that he'd double with Scully, explaining she had never played before. When it was Scully's turn, Mulder set the ball beside the first stake, and he and Scully stood about three feet away. He positioned her in a golf stance, the mallet poised just behind the wooden ball. He adjusted her grip from behind but was careful not to show too much affection in front of his relatives. It was not because he cared what they saw, but he knew it would make Scully uncomfortable.

"Just keep your grip firm and your arms straight," he instructed.

She nodded but kept her head down. Pulling back slightly, she struck the ball with the mallet, successfully propelling the ball through the first two wickets. Mulder lauded her efforts, though contributed her efforts to beginner's luck. She shrugged nonchalantly, but ended the game second out of six, leaving the remaining four men good-naturedly grumbling that they had lost to a beginner.

The rest of the afternoon was spent socializing with some of the older Mulder family members before getting ready for dinner. Mulder directed Scully to her room, where her overnight bag had already been placed.

"I'm just across the hall, next to the bathroom," he told her, pointing to the wooden door.

She closed the door behind Mulder before digging through her suitcase for her cosmetics bag. Dinner was in about an hour, so she was not sure exactly why the groups had dispersed to separate rooms. All of the adults and the younger children were all staying in a local hotel, but some of the children were sleeping in the house. She touched up her make-up and curled a few strands of hair that had fallen through the course of the day. The primping only took fifteen minutes, so she looked around the room for something to occupy her time. Picking up a book from the shelf between the beds, she read.

She became engrossed in the mystery novel, reading for almost an hour. When she finally looked at the clock, she jumped from the bed. Checking her appearance one last time in the mirror, she hurried into the sitting room where the majority of the women were chatting over cocktails. Upon her entrance, a few of them gave her a once over, but none moved to greet her. Feeling out of place, she nervously looked for Mulder, and heard his laughter from the cigar room. She stepped into the room, but after a quick scan, she noticed the room was completely void of women. Some of the men glanced at her, even fewer smiled, but Mulder had his back to her. She awkwardly stumbled out of the room, but not before Mulder caught sight of her retreating figure. She felt completely out of place. She wished she had not stepped out of her room, out of the plot of the mystery novel.

She almost wished that Mulder would come out of the cigar room, that he would tell her where she belonged. She was unaccustomed to such formal family gatherings. As the women in the sitting room stood between her and her bedroom, she wandered down the opposing hallway, trying to kill time. The wing of the mansion she stumbled into was unfamiliar, but she found herself in the library, which shared a wall and a closed door with the cigar room. After walking over to the wall and assuring herself the Mulder men were still sharing cocktails before dinner, she began perusing the shelves of the library.

She felt horribly like a snoop but even more so an outcast. Retreating to the familiar world of literature, she picked up a collection of works by an unfamiliar poet. She read each poem two or three times, trying to absorb the entire mood of each one. After finishing one about the speaker's childhood, it occurred to her that she had not seen any of the children in either of the rooms. She replaced the book and wandered farther down the hall and up the stairs. As the sound of chatter became louder, she walked the length of house to finally enter a play room. The room was filled with children, and the two girls she met earlier, Mary and Danielle, rushed her as soon as they spotted her.

"Do you want to come to our tea party?" the older child asked Dana, leading the teenager to a small wooden table elaborately set with a miniature china tea set. Sitting between Mary and a porcelain doll and across from Danielle, Dana watched the children interact, sipping imaginary tea while she followed suit.

Half an hour later, one of the maids began ushering the children downstairs, as dinner was to be served. Moments later, Mulder came upstairs, much against the current flow of traffic, obviously looking for someone.

"I wondered where you had gone," he said.

Scully looked up from the toy box she was refilling. "I didn't know where I was supposed to go."

"You could have sat with one of the groups."

To her, his tone was almost chastising. She stood tall. "You didn't explain what I was supposed to do, or how I was supposed to act. Neither group looked like they wanted me there. Oh, and it would have been nice if you had told me that most people had brought separate clothes for dinner. I already feel uncomfortable enough."

Mulder said nothing in response. After opening and clenching his fists, his mouth followed suit, and he appeared much like a fish out of water. He squinted his eyes, not sure what to say. He turned away from her and walked towards the stairs. "Dinner is ready," he replied, looking back towards her, waiting for her to descend the stairs before him.

Her mouth was agape in shock. He completely ignored her feelings, her reservations, in a coward's way out of a quarrel. She was not trying to be argumentative; she was frustrated that she had been thrown into the middle of a game without the set of rules, only to be penalized when she made a wrong move.

She stormed past him down the stairs, through the hall and into the dining room. Violet Mulder, who had finished seating just about everyone, stood to welcome Dana and seat the girl next to Violet's brother Robert, who, Dana would learn, was the widowed uncle with whom Mulder was sharing a room. Mulder sat in the seat across from Dana. He was trying to catch her eyes, but she refused to look up, paying too much attention to sipping her water and arranging the cloth napkin in her lap. She politely chatted with Uncle Robert, who insisted she call him such, over salad. For as old and as quiet as the man was, the family easily forgot about him, but Scully found him incredibly fascinating. She stayed out of the main course of conversation, focusing on the main course in front of her instead. When Mulder finally did catch her eyes, she offered him a small smile so he knew she was not mad him.

As the wait staff served coffee and the conversation reached a lull, the Mulders focused their attention on Scully, which started out innocent enough.

"Dana, how long have you known our Fox?" a middle-aged woman farther down the table turned all of the attention on Scully.

"Since October, when I moved to Fairfield from California," she replied.

"You two seem to have become rather serious rather fast, then, don't you think?" the woman continued.

"Aunt Jackie," Mulder protested.

Scully glanced at Mulder before replying, "In what regards?" Scully was paying special attention to her poise, controlling her voice and body language.

Jacqueline did not reply verbally, but her eyes pointed to the bracelet on Scully's wrist as it rose to bring the water goblet to her mouth.

Instead of defending Mulder's gift, she waited until the woman replied verbally. Scully pursed her lips and waited.

Teena Mulder said, "Dear, it's just easy to become so quickly attached to the luxuries your relationship with my son affords."

Dana's eyes narrowed. "I wasn't aware that this family enjoyed such," she paused before emphasizing the word, "luxuries until today."

"Nevertheless," Bill Mulder continued for his wife, "these luxuries don't come without certain obligations in regards to Fox's future."

"With all do respect, I am only sixteen. And although I am sure some started at such a young age, I am not after anyone's money."

"Dana," Mulder once again threw a weak objection into the conversation.

Without looking at Mulder or anyone else at the table, she carefully took off the tennis bracelet and placed it upon her discarded napkin. Once again looking at the hosts, she explained, "I have had a long day and was not able to sleep well the night before. I think I am going to retire early."

Violet Mulder frowned at what had just transpired. She watched at Dana stilled her boyfriend's movements to follow her with just a glance.

Dessert brought back lighter conversation, no one except Mulder and his grandmother missing the presence of Dana. The wait staff removed her plate and returned the bracelet to Mulder's care, so there was no evidence Dana had even sat at the table. Mulder silently fidgeted until the dinner was completed, wanting more than anything to run after Scully.

As some of the family members left to return to their hotel room for the night, he managed to sneak away from the group and down the hall.

The lights in Scully and Nancy's room were off. He cracked open the door, the light spilling from the hallway onto both beds. The farther one was unoccupied; the children were still playing upstairs. Scully's still form was facing him, her hair hiding her face. After making sure no one could see him entering her room, he closed the door behind him. Kneeling in front of her, he smoothed her hair out of her face, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness.

Leaning forward on his knees, he softly kissed her lips, his eyes watching hers as she stirred. Pulling back, he watched her momentarily before kissing her again. He watched her eyes open in a mixture of sleep and surprise. His hand smoothed her cheek before returning to his side, though his lips never broke contact. After making sure she was aware, he deepened the kiss, opening his mouth. Their eyes remained locked, lids heavy, as they kissed. Moments passed before his tongue found his way into her mouth. Their movements were slow, healing.

When the kiss broke, Mulder dropped to a sitting position, and Scully scooted closer to the edge of the bed. Taking one of Scully's hands from the warm haven of her bed, he played with her fingers, neither of them speaking. Silently, he slipped the bracelet back onto her wrist.

"I'm sorry," she spoke, her tongue heavy with sleep and the remnants of Mulder's kiss, and her eyes not exactly meeting his.

They did not talk about what had transpired, though both knew something should be said. They kissed slowly, their eyes closed as they silently said good night.


End file.
